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1 






THE MIDNIGHT SUN 






TALES FROM THE 
FAR NORTH 


MARIA C. KLUGH 

H 

TEACHER IN DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS 


Be ye then kind, as Baldur, too, was kind. 

— Matthew Arnold 


A. FLANAGAN COMPANY 


j 

'TqJL 


Copyright 1909 
BY 

A FLANAGAN COMPANY 


Cla. A, 


CONTENTS 


Ths Land of the: Midnight Sun 7 

^ The Norsemen 10 

The Great Ash Tree 13 

Odin and Frigga 15 

How Odin Brought the Mead to Asgard 18 

Loki and His Pets 23 

Binding the Woee, Part 1 26 

Binding the Wole, Part H 29 

Thor and His Golden-Haired Wife, Part 1 31 

Thor and His Golden-Haired Wife, Part H 35 

The Dwarf’s Presents 37 

Bating Thor’s Goats • 42 

Sleeping IN THE Giant’s Glove 45 

Thor’s Visit to the King of the Frost-Giants, 

Part I ' 49 

Thor’s Visit to the King of the Frost-Giants, 

Part II 52 

Thor’s Fight with the Weak-Hearted Giant 55 

The Loss of Thor’s Hammer. 59 

Building the Wall 64 

The Kettle Mile-Deep 70 

Thor Goes Fishing 73 ' 

Carrying the Kettle Home 76 

Cooking the Ox 78 

Idun’s Golden Apples SO 

How Skadi Chose a Husband 84 

Freya’s Necklace 87 

Hunting for Odur 91 

Loki at Geirrod’s Palace 95 

Thor’s Visit to Geirrod 97 


5 


6 


CONTENTS 


Frey and the Fight-Elves 101 

Frey and the Frost-Giant’s Daughter 103 

Hulda and the Golden Chips 107 

Vali, the Young Sunshine God 109 

A Wonderful Bouquet 112 

Loreley 1 16 

The Golden Curse 119 

A Sword in an Oak Tree 122 

Siegfried in the Wood 126 

Siegfried Makes His Sword 130 

Siegfried Kills the Dragon 134 

Siegfried Awakens Brunhild '.139 

Aslog and the Harp 142 

Aslog in the Forest 146 

Aslog and King Ragnor 148 

How Frithiof Earned His Sword 151 

The Longbeards 155 

The Man Who Lived for Three Hundred Years 159 

How THE Sea Became Salt 163 

Four Chariots 168 

Baldur’s Dreams 172 

Baldur’s Death 176 

The Journey to the Spirit World 180 

Loki’s Punishment ■ 185 

The Twilight of the Gods and the Last Great 

Battle 187 

The Names of the Days of the Week 193 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


THE LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN 

When we wake in the morning to find the sun shin- 
ing, how glad we are! Its bright rays bring cheer 
to our hearts. We feel thankful for the light and 
warmth which the sun gives us every day. 

At night, after the sun has set, how dark it seems! 
But the darkness gives us no fear, for we know 
that day will soon come again. 

In our land it is light for some part of every day, 
all the year round. But there is a country in the 
Far North where it is not light every day. The 
country is called Norway. For many weeks in 
winter the people have no daylight at all. 

The boys and girls in Norway do not mind this. 
They have the bright stars and the northern lights 
to cheer them. In the Far North the stars shine 
very brightly. They seem so near to the earth that 
you might think you could reach your hand up and 
pick them out of the sky. 

It is not always dark in the daytime in Norway. 
In the summer there are many long, bright days, 
when the sun shines far into the night. On the long- 
est day in the year, in many places the sun may 
be seen shining at midnight. This longest day 
7 


8 


TAIvES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


is looked upon as a holiday. It is called Midsum- 
mer Eve. The people stay up all night, sitting 
around bonfires. They watch the sun until it just 
touches the horizon and then rises at once on a new 
day. Norway is sometimes called the “Land of the 
Midnight Sun.” 

Summer time in Norway does not last long. The 

people ta\ke 
good care of 
everything 
that grows. 
They hang 
their grain and 
hay on rail 
fences to dry. 
It takes hard 
work to get 
everything into 
the barn before 
the cold season. 

The people 
of Norway are 
fond of fish. 
They live near the sea, where they can get herring, 
cod and salmon. No part of the fish is wasted. 
They boil the heads of the fish in water and feed 
them to their cattle. The cows like this food. 

There are many high mountains in Norway. 
Some of them are crowned with snow and ice all 




TALES EROM THE EAR NORTH 9 

the year round. No one has ever climbed to the 
tops of the highest mountains. 

In many places the mountains rise straight up 
out of the sea. In other places the sea cuts into 


the land. The narrow bays where the sea runs into 
the land are called fiords. 

On the rocky sides of the mountains the sea- 
birds build their nests. Eagles fiy to the highest 
peaks. At night the owls are heard, hooting in the 
tops of the pine trees. 


IN A NORWEGIAN FIORD 


10 


TAI^E^S F^ROM THE EAR NORTH 


Waterfalls rush down the sides of the mountains 
with a roaring noise into the sea. What a strange, 
wild country Norway is! 


THE NORSEMEN 

Many hundreds of years ago, in the Far North, 
there lived a people called Norsemen. The Norse- 
men were strong and hardy. They loved the sea 
and spent much of their time sailing about in queer 
ships. 

Their ships were called sea-dragons. They were 
built to look like great fish, with the head at one end 
and the tail at the other. The sails were square 
and made of skins brightly colored. The ships 
were built of the wood of the oak tree, which gave 
them great strength. 

The Norsemen were brave and fearless. They 
were more at home upon the sea than on the land 
and often sailed away to strange countries. The 
leaders of these sea-rovers were called Vikings. 
Some people think that the Norsemen sailed over to 
America long before the time of Columbus. These 
sea kings were among our forefathers and from the 
stories of their heroes we may learn lessons of cour- 
age and freedom. 

The Norsemen believed some queer things about 
the earth. They thought that the sun was a great 
god who lived on the top of a high mountain. They\ 


tai.es from the far north 11 

liked the sun-god because he brought the summer 
to them. 

The snow-capped mountains were said to be the 
homes of giants called frost-giants, who sometimes 
drove away the sun-god and made the land dark 
and cold. 

They believed that there was a god of the sea. 
When the ocean was rough and the waves tossed 
their ships about, 
the Norsemen said 
that the sea-god 
was angry. 

These people 
thought that spir- 
its lived in the 
waterfalls and 
made the roaring 
noise that came 
from the streams 
which dashed 
down the sides of 
the mountains. 

W hen they waterfalls everywhere 

heard the owls 

hooting at night, the people said the wicked little 
dwarfs had come up from under the ground. Some- 
times they went out to hunt for the dwarfs; but 
they could see only the great, evil-looking eyes of 
the owls shining in the darkness, from the tops of 



12 


tales from the far north 


the trees. The good things that came to people 
were sent by the fairies or elves, so they said ; but 
no one ever heard or saw these quiet little creatures. 

On the long dark winter days, the people sat 
around the fires. The grandmothers told stories to 
the children about the gods and frost -giants. When 
the children grew up to be men and women they 
told the same stories to their own children. 

So, although they had no books, the stories were 
passed along for hundreds of years. At last an old 
monk wrote all the stories down and made a book 
of them. Now we can read the same stories that 
the grandmothers told so long ago. 

THE NORTHERN SEAS 

Up! up! let us a voyage take; 

Why sit we here at ease? 

Find us a vessel tight and snug, 

Bound for the Northern Seas. 

I long to see the northern lights 
With their rushing splendor’s fly, 

Like living things with flaming wings. 

Wide o’er the wondrous sky. 

I long to see those icebergs vast, 

With heads all crowned with snow. 

Whose green roots sleep in awful deep. 

Two hundred fathoms low. 

And while the unsetting sun shines on 
Through the still heavens’ deep blue, 


TAI^ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


13 


We’ll traverse the azure waves, the herds 
Of the dread sea-hcrse to view. 

We’ll pass the shores of solemn pine, 

Where wolves and black bears prowl; 

And away to the rocky isles of mist, 

To rouse the northern fowl. 

Then softly, softly will we tread 
By inland streams to see 

Where the pelican of the silent North 
Sits there all silently. 

— Mary Howitt. 

THE GREAT ASH TREE 

The Norsemen had some odd fancies about the 
earth on which we live. In that time of long ago, 
no one had thought of its being round like a great 
ball. People would have laughed if they had been 
told that it was so. They would not have believed 
it. The Norsemen thought that the earth was like 
a great ash tree. 

At the top of the tree was the home of the gods, 
called Asgard. Below this was the land of men, 
called Midgard. Just across from Midgard was 
Giant Land. Below Giant Land was Elfiand, 
where the fairies lived. Still lower were the Spirit 
World and the Land of Fiery Flames. 

The ash tree had three roots which were watered 
by three fountains. The north root was in a foun- 
tain in Elfiand. 


14 


tales from the far north 


The south root was in a deep well under Asgard. 
This well was watched over by three sisters, Urd, 
Verdandi, and Skuld. These sisters, who were some- 
times called the Norns, could foretell everything 
that was going to happen. Every day the sisters 
tended the tree and when they were not caring for 
it they spent their time in weaving great webs 
across the sky. Near the mouth of the well the 
gods had their Judgment Hall. 

The middle root of the ash tree was in a fountain 
under Midgard. The fountain was watched over by 
a wise old man whose name was Mimir. Any one 
who drank the water of Mimir ’s fountain was sure 
to become wise. Mimir would not let every one 
taste the water. He would give it only to those 
who were willing to give something in return for the 
drink. 

Mimir himself took a drink from the wonderful 
fountain every morning. No wonder he became so 
wise ! He could remember everything that had 
ever happened. 

The gods had a wonderful bridge which circled 
around the tree. One end of the bridge was in Elf- 
land, at the north root of the tree, and the other end 
was at the south root, by Urd’s well. This bridge 
was called the rainbow bridge. It was made of 
fire, air, and water. 

Three colors were seen in it — red, blue, and green. 
The red color was fire. The fire kept the frost- 


TAivES From the far north 15 

giants off the bridge. Frost-giants could not pass 
through fire. Only the gods were allowed to cross 
this bridge. Any one else who wished to get into 
Asgard must take a long journey on foot and cross 
four rivers. 

The gods had a watchman on the rainbow bridge. 
The watchman’s name was Heimdall. He had 
golden teeth and carried a white shield. Day and 
night he rode back and forth over the bridge on his 
swift horse, Goldtop. 

What a wonderful watchman Heimdall was! He 
needed less sleep than a bird and could see for miles 
around, just as well by day as by night. His ears 
were so sharp that he could hear the grass growing. 

Heimdall had a horn which he blew when danger 
was near. The sound of the horn could be heard 
all over the world. As long as the gods had this 
wonderful watchman it was not easy for an enemy 
to get into Asgard. 


ODIN AND FRIGGA 

Odin was the father of all the gods. Sometimes he 
was called the Allfather. The Allfather carried a 
white shield, and a magic bow from which he could 
shoot ten arrows at once. 

Odin had only one eye. He had given the other 
eye in payment for a drink from wise old Mimir’s 
well. The magic drink had made Odin very wise. 


16 TAI.KS FROM THE FAR NORTH 

By his words he could put out fire, quiet the rough 
sea, and turn the winds to do his will. He could 
change himself into a bird, a beast, a fish, or a 
serpent. 

Odin had a high throne from which he could see 
all over the world. Every morning he sent his two 
ravens, Thought and Memory, off over the world. 
Each night the ravens came back and sat on Odin’s 
shoulders. Then they told him what they had seen. 
Whenever Odin sat on his high seat his’ two wolf- 
hounds came and lay at his feet. 

Odin rode a gray horse named Sleipnir. This 
wonderful horse had eight legs and was as swift as" 
the winds. 

The Allfather lived in a great palace called Val- 
halla, which stood in a grove of trees. The trees 
had red-gold leaves, which shone and sparkled in the 
sunlight. 

Odin’s palace had five hundred-forty doors and a 
large hall in which eight hundred people could sit 
down for dinner at one time. The roof of the palace 
was made of golden shields fastened together. The 
walls were made of flaming swords. No light was 
needed in Odin’s palace, for the shields and swords 
were as bright as the sun. 

Odin was the god of war. He took good care of 
brave people. All the warriors who were killed in 
battle were carried up to Odin’s palace. 

Odin had a great many maidens to help him 


tale:s from thk far north 17 

carry the warriors away from* the battle-field. 
These maidens were called Valkyrs. They rode 
white horses and had feather jackets which helped 
them to fly swiftly through the air. When the 
Valkyr maidens were at home in the palace they 
wore long white dresses. 

The warriors in Odin’s palace were well fed. They 
ate the meat of the wild boar and drank mead. 
Mead was a drink which the gods made from honey. 
When the warriors were not eating and drinking, 
they spent their time in fighting sham-battles. No 
one was ever hurt in these battles. 

Odin’s wife was named Frigga. She was goddess 
of the clouds. Like the clouds, her dress was 
sometimes dark and sometimes white. No matter 
which dress she wore, her shoes were always golden. 

Frigga had a palace of mist by the sea. There 
she spent much of her time spinning beautiful 
golden thread. Her spinning-wheel was covered 
with jewels. How it did sparkle as the busy god- 
dess made it fly round and round 1 

The cloud-goddess was a good housekeeper. She 
carried a large bunch of keys at her side. 

Frigga was a kind mother to her children. She 
had one blind son named Hodur. Her favorite 
child was Baldur, whose face was so bright and 
shining that he was called the sun-god. Baldur 
never spoke an unkind word to any one. He was 
the best loved of all the gods. 


18 


TAI^ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


ODIN 

Ah! no traveler art thou, 

King of men, I know thee now, 

Mightiest of a mighty line — . 

— Thomas Gray : Descent of Odin, 


HOW ODIN BROUGHT THE MEAD TO ASGARD 

The honey drink which the gods called mead had 
first been made by the little dwarfs who lived under 
the ground. The mead was a magic drink. Who- 
ever took a sip of it was able at once to compose 
beautiful music and write poems. For this reason 
every one wished to have a taste of it. There is a 
story about how the mead was first brought into 
the city of the gods. 

A frost-giant named Suttung stole the mead from 
the dwarfs and hid it in his cellar. There it was 
watched by the giant’s beautiful daughter, Gunlad. 
Day and night she sat by the side of the three great 
jars in which the mead was kept. The cellar wall 
was of solid rock. 

One day Odin’s two ravens spied out where the 
giant had hidden the mead. At night, when they 
came home to rest on the Allfather’s shoulders, they 
told him about the three jars in Suttung ’s cellar. 
Odin was fond of music and poetry, so he thought 
he would try to get some of the mead for the gods. 

The Allfather set out the next morning. He 


TAhHS FROM THE FAR NORTH 


19 


walked all day over dusty roads until he came to 
the giant’s house. It was nearly night when he 
knocked at the door. 

Suttung was not at home, but his brother, whose 
name was Baugi, opened the door. 

“I am a poor working-man,” Odin said. “I am 
looking for a place to rest over night.” 

''Come in,” said Baugi. "You may rest here 
until my brother, Suttung, comes home.” 

Baugi looked at Odin and saw that he was large 
and strong. Then he said: 

"We need some men to work on the farm this 
summer. How would you like to stay here?” 

"I will stay and work on the farm,” Odin an- 
swered, "if you will give me the pay that I ask of 
you.” 

"We can not pay much,” the brother said, "for 
we need nine men to do the summer’s work.” 

"I will stay all summer and do the work of nine 
'men,” said Odin, "if you will give me the pay that I 
ask.” 

"What pay do you wish ? ” asked Baugi. 

"Only a little drink of the mead which the giant 
keeps in his cellar,” Odin answered. "That is all 
that I ask for my summer’s work.” 

Baugi was surprised to find that the working-man 
knew about the mead, but he said ; 

"If you do the work of nine men, I will try to get 
some of the mead for you.” 


20 


TAIvES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


Soon Suttung came tramping into the house. The 
brother told him that he had hired a man to do the 
summer’s work. Sutting was pleased to hear this 
and said that the man might stay. 

All summer Odin worked in the giant’s fields. 
He did the work of nine men and more. By the 
end of the summer the work was all done and 
everything was in the barns, ready for winter. 

One night at supper Odin spoke .boldly to the 
giant. 

^‘The summers’ work is done, Suttung,” he said, 
‘T must go home to-morrow. Give me my pay 
to-night.” 

“What pay did my brother agree to give you?” 
the giant asked. 

“My pay for the summer’s work,” said Odin, “is 
to be a drink of the mead which you keep in your 
cellar.” 

At these words, the giant jumped up from the 
table and roared: 

“You shall never have a drop of the mead! It is 
no promise of mine. Now go!” 

Odin went out, but he stayed near the house 
until the next morning. At daylight, Baugi came 
out to see what he could do for the working-man, 

“You promised me a drink of the mead,” said 
Odin. “The giant will not pay me. I have done 
the work; now I shall help myself to the pay.” 

Then he walked over to the wall of the cellar. 


talks from the far north 


21 



“SWEET MAIDEN, GIVE ME SOME OE YOUR MEAD TO DRINK” 


He pulled an auger from under his cloak and began 
to bore a hole in the solid rock. Baugi laughed. 
''You will never get in there,” he said. 

But he stopped laughing when he saw the wonder- 



22 


TALKS FROM THK FAR NORTH 


ful auger fly round and round. Soon there was a 
small round hole clear through the rock. When 
Baugi turned to speak to the working-man, he could 
not And him, but near the hole in the rock a little 
worm crawled. 

Odin had changed himself into a worm. He 
crawled into the cellar. There sat the giant’s 
daughter, watching the three jars of mead. She 
did not see the little worm. 

Then Odin changed himself into a handsome 
young man. He smiled and bowed and said: 

“Sweet maiden, give me some of your mead to 
drink.” 

Gunlad was so much pleased to see the young 
man that she answered: 

“I will give you some of the mead if you promise 
to take only three drinks.” 

Odin promised. At the first drink he emptied 
the first jar; at the second drink he drained the 
second jar; and at the third drink all the mead in 
the cellar was gone. Then he changed himself into 
a little worm again and crawled out through the 
hole. Outside sat Baugi, wondering where the 
working-man had gone. 

Odin now changed himself into an eagle. He 
flew off to Asgard with the mead, and there the 
magic drink was kept ever after. 


TAhUS F^ROM the: FAR NORTH 


23 


IvOKI AND HIS PETS 

Asgard was in a pleasant valley near the top of a 
high mountain. There, among the green groves, the 
gods had built their golden palaces and lived happily 
together. 

Of all the gods, there was but one who was not 
content in his happy home. This was Loki. Eoki 
was an idle god. He never had any work to do; so 
he often got into mischief. 

Eoki had a face that was fair and good to look 
upon; but his heart was filled with the spirit of 
mischief. He began by making fun of everything. 
Then he forgot how to be kind and how to tell the 
truth. He got himself and every one around him 
into trouble. He was called the “mischief-maker” 
and the “father of lies.” 

Loki was fond of taking long walks among the 
mountains. Once, when he was roaming about, he 
found a young serpent. He. brought the serpent 
home with him, but he was afraid to show it to the 
other gods, so he made a place for it in a cave just 
outside of Asgard. 

Not long after this, Loki found a young wolf in 
the woods. He took the wolf to the cave where he 
had hidden the serpent. There he kept his strange 
pets. Every morning he went to the cave to feed 
them. He called the wolf Fenris. 


24 


TAIvES FROr.I THE FAR NORTH 


One day Loki made up his mind to take his pets 
into Asgard. He took his little daughter with him, 
too. 

When the gods saw the queer pets, they were 
frightened. They went to Father Odin and told him 
about them. 



HE TOOK HIS LITTLE DAUGHTER WITH HIM, TOO 


TAI,KS FROM the: far NORTH 25 

“We can not have those ugly creatures in the 
Golden City,” they said. “Our children can not go 
out to play while a serpent crawls in the streets.” 

“lyoki may keep his child and the v/olf,” Father 
Odin said, “but the serpent must go.” 

All the gods were glad to hear this. Odin took 
the serpent up to his high seat, from which he could 
see all over the world. He threw the serpent far 
away into the middle of the ocean. 

The gods felt better when the serpent was gone. 
But a strange thing happened. The serpent lived 
in the ocean and began to grow. It grew so large 
that its body reached all around Midgard, the land 
of men. Then it was called the Midgard serpent. 
When the serpent had reached quite around the 
world, it could grow no more and had to keep biting 
its own tail. 

All this time Loki’s daughter had been growing, 
too. What a queer-looking creature she was! One 
side of her body and face was black and the other 
side was as white as a sheet. None of the gods 
liked to look at her. 

Odin thought of a plan to get rid of Loki’s daugh- 
ter. He called Loki to him and said: 

“If you will take your daughter out of Asgard, I 
will make her Queen of the Spirit World.” 

Loki was willing to do this. He took his daugh- 
ter to the land of spirits. There she was called 
Queen Hela, and sat upon a throne. 


26 


tales from the far north 


The Spirit World was not a pleasant land. It was 
covered with dark forests of bare trees and had a 
high wall all around it. To reach the land of spirits, 
it took many days of travel over rough, icy roads. 
Then a river must be crossed. 

There was but one bridge over the river. It was 
made of crystal and hung by a single hair. A 
skeleton kept guard over the bridge, and would allow 
none but spirits to pass over. A fierce dog named 
Garm watched at the gate of the Spirit World. 

The spirits of those who died of sickness or of old 
age went to Hela’s country. When a person died cf 
sickness or of old age he was said to have died the 
“straw death.” The spirits of those who died 
fighting in battle went to Odin’s palace, as you have 
heard. For this reason all Norsemen wished to 
die in battle. 

Every one liked to think of living in Odin’s shining 
palace, but no one cared to go to Hela’s dark land. 

BINDING THE WOLF 
Part I 

When Loki first brought the wolf Fenris into As- 
gard, it was young and harmless. The gods were 
kind to Fenris and fed him so well that he soon grew 
strong and large. n 

As Fenris grew larger, he became very fierce. 
Then the gods were afraid to go near him. Tyr, 


talHS from the far north 27 

the brave sword-god, was the only one who dared 
to feed the wolf. 

At night Fenris kept the gods awake with his 
howling. In the daytime he walked up and down 
the beautiful streets of Asgard. The gods were in 
fear of the wolf whenever they went out-of-doors. 
Their children could not go out to play while the 
fierce creature was loose in the streets. 

The gods went to Father Odin and said: “We 
must get rid of Fenris. Let us kill him.” 

“We must not kill the wolf,” the Allfather said, 
“because it is a law of the gods that blood shall not 
be spilled in Asgard.” 

Then Tyr, the brave sword-god, spoke thus: 

“If we may not kill the beast, let us at least chain 
him so that he can not run about the streets.” 

The gods thought this a wise plan. A strong iron 
chain was made. Every one said that it could not 
be broken. But how were they to get the chain on 
Fenris? This is what they did. 

They went to the wolf and said: 

“Fenris, we know that you are a very strong wolf. 
Let us try your strength with this iron chain. We 
will bind it around you, and, if you can break it, 
everybody will praise your great strength.” 

Fenris liked to have the gods praise him, so he 
stood still while they bound the iron chain around 
him. Oh, how safe the gods felt when the chain 
was fastened! 


28 


tales from the far north 


But a strange thing happened. The wolf began 
to tug and pull. Before any one could say a word 
the chain was broken to pieces and bits of iron were 
scattered about. Fenris was free. 

The gods ran back to their golden palaces. They 
kept their children in-doors. The wolf prowled 
about the streets just as before. 

After a time Father Odin called the gods together. 

“Fenris is much stronger than we supposed him 
to be,” he said. “We must make a heavier chain.” 

So the gods set to work. For many days and 
nights they hammered at the second chain. The 
noise of the pounding could be heard all over the 
city. When at last the chain was done, it was so 
heavy that it took many men to lift it. Nothing 
like it had ever been seen before. 

The gods went to the wolf a second time. 

“Fenris,” they said, “here is another chain. Let 
us try your strength with this one. If you can 
break it, we shall know that you are the strongest 
wolf in the world.” 

Fenris was willing to try, so the gods bound the 
great chain around him. They smiled as they saw 
him tug and pull at the chain, for they thought it 
could not be broken. 

Fenris growled and roared and pulled. Then a 
cracking sound was heard and pieces of iron were 
seen flying over the city. The second chain was 
broken. Fenris was loose again. 


tales from the far north 


29 


With sad faces the gods went to their palaces. 
They walked no more in their shady groves among 
the trees with the red-gold leaves. The wolf, alone, 
walked about in Asgard, fiercer than ever. 

BINDING THE WOLF 
Part II 

The gods knew now that the wolf could not be 
bound by any common chain. They sent a servant 
to the dwarfs, to ask them to make a magic chain 
with which to bind Fenris. 

The little dark elves went down into their homes 
under the ground and soon came back with a 
wonderful chain which they had made. They gave 
it to the servant, who took it up to the gods. 

The chain was a queer-looking one. It was as 
small and soft and fine as a silk cord. The dwarfs 
said that it could not be broken, for it was made of 
six very queer things: the roots of mountains; a 
woman’s beard; the voice of fishes; the breath of a 
bear; a cat’s footsteps, and the teeth of birds. 

The gods watched for a chance to fasten the 
magic chain around the wolf, but he kept away from 
them. Then they thought of a plan. 

They invited Fenris to a picnic. This pleased 
him and he went to it. The picnic was held on an 
island in the middle of a great lake. There they 
played games and had a fine feast. 


30 TAIvHS FROM THE FAR NORTH 

When Father Odin saw that every one was having 
a good time, he went to the wolf and said : 

“Fenris, you have broken two iron chains. We 
know that you are very strong. Let us try your 
strength once more. Look at this little chain. It 
does not seem strong; still, none of the gods can 
break it. Show us what you can do.” 

Fenris seemed to know that something was wrong. 

“I will not be bound with the little chain,” he 
said, “unless one of the gods will hold his hand in 
my mouth to show that no harm is meant.” 

The gods looked at one another. Which one 
would hold a hand in the fierce beast’s mouth? 
Whoever did so would be sure to have his hand 
bitten off when the wolf found himself fast. 

Tyr, the brave sword-god, stepped forward. 

“I will hold my hand in the wolf’s mouth,” he 
said. “I am not afraid.” 

Then Fenris was bound with the magic chain. 
The gods wound it all around his body. Fenris 
pulled and tugged. He jumped and rolled and 
twisted. He could not break the fine little chain. 

When the wolf knev/ that he was fast, he snapped 
his jaws shut and bit off Tyr’s right hand at the 
wrist. After that Tyr had to carry his sword in his 
left hand and fasten his shield to his right arm. 

Fenris began to howl and roar. Oh, what a noise 
he made! He shook the whole earth. To stop the 
noise the gods put a sword in the wolf’s mouth. 


31 


/' 

'iTAX^s /rOM the far north 

The hilt of the sword rested on the lower jaw and the 
sharp point pierced the upper jaw. There was no 
more howling. 

Before the gods left the island, they fastened the 
end of the chain to a rock. Then they went home 
and left Fends alone. 

At last the gods were safe from the wolf, but poor 
Tyr had lost his right hand. How grateful the other 
gods were to him for saving them! They did not 
forget his bravery. On the blade of every sword 
was engraved Tyr’s name. 


THOR AND HIS GOTDEN-HAIRED WIFE 
Part I 

The strongest of all the gods was Thor, the thunder- 
god. He was so large and heavy that he did not 
dare to walk on the rainbow bridge for fear that 
he would break it. 

Thor traveled about in a heavy brass chariot, 
which was drawn by two goats and made a noise 
like thunder as it rumbled along. The goats were 
named Tooth-cracker and Tooth-gnasher. From 
their teeth and hoofs sparks kept flying as the spry 
creatures raced across the fields and over the toads. 

The thunder-god had red hair and a red beard. 
Sparks of lightning flashed from his head. He wore 
a magic belt which made his strength just double 
what it was without. 


32 TAI,ES FROM THE FAR 



In his right hand Thor carried a wonderful iron 
hammer. The hammer was always red hot and was 
sure to hit whatever mark it was thrown at. Besides 
this, it would always return to the hand of its owner. 
In another story we shall hear how this wonderful 
hammer came to Thor. 

Thor wore a pair of iron gloves when he was using 
his hammer. The gloves made him still stronger. 
Thor’s red-hot hammer meant death to the frost- 
giants. You may be sure they ran when they heard 
the thunder-god coming. 


TAivKS From thf far north 


33 


Thor’s wife was named Sif. Sif had beautiful 
golden hair. She was very proud of her hair, for it 
was so long that it reached down to her feet. Thor, 
too, was proud of his wife’s beautiful hair. 

One morning, when Thor awoke, he looked at Sif. 
A strange sight met his eyes. All of her beautiful 
hair was gone! He thought he must be dreaming, 
but it was true. Some one had cut off Sif’s hair in 
the night. 

When poor Sif found that her hair was gone, she 
began to cry. 

“Oh, what shall I do?” she said. “The gods will 
laugh to see me without any hair.” 

“Don’t cry, Sif,” said Thoir. “I will find out who 
cut off your hair.” 

Thor knew that there was only one god mean 
enough to do such a thing. He started to look for 
Loki, the mischief-maker. He hunted all over 
Asgard. 

At last Thor found the wicked fellow hiding in a 
dark corner. He seized Loki by the throat. The 
thunder-god was so angry that he nearly choked the 
mischief-maker to death. 

Loki was well frightened for once. He begged 
Thor to let go his hold. 

“If you will only let me go,” Loki said, “I will get 
your wife some hair more beautiful than that which 
I cut off.” 

So Thor let Loki go, but he said : 


34 TAIvES FROM THE FAR NORTH 

‘Xoki, poor Sif is sitting at home crying because 
of your cruel trick. You must have the new hair 
ready for her by the end of the week. If you fail 
to be on time, you shall lose your head.” 

THOR 

I AM the God Thor, 

I am the War God, 

I am the Thunderer! 

Here in my Northland 
My fastness and fortress, 

Reign I forever! 

Here amid icebergs 
Rule I the nations ; 

This is my hammer, 

Miolner, the mighty; 

Giants and sorcerers 
Can not withstand it. 

These are the gauntlets 
Wherewith I wield it 
And hurl it afar off ; 

This is my girdle; 

Whenever I brace it, 

Strength is redoubled ! 

The light thou beholdest 
Stream through the heavens. 

In flashes of crimson. 

Is but my beard 
Blown by the night-wind. 

Affrighting the nations! 


TAIvES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


35 


THOR AND HIS GOLDEN-HAIRED WIFE 
Part H 

As SOON as Loki was free, he left Asgard. He ran 
straight to the forest, where he thought he might 
find some of the dwarfs who lived under the ground. 
Loki waited in the forest until dark. He knew that 
the dwarfs would not come out in the daytime, for 
they were afraid of the light. If a dwarf came out 
during the day he was sure to be turned to stone. 

After it began to grow dark, Loki saw a queer lit- 
tle dwarf coming toward him. The dwarf had a 
large head, brown skin, and little green eyes that 
sparkled in the darkness. His legs were much too 
short for his body. The dwarf’s name was Dvalin. 

Loki called the little fellow to him and told him 
all about his trouble. He asked Dvalin to make 
some new hair for Thor’s wife. 

‘T must have the hair before the end of the week,” 
Loki said, “or I shall lose my head. The hair must 
be long and yellow. Can you make it?” 

“Oh, yes,” said the dwarf. “I can make the hair. 
Come to this same spot to-morrow night and the 
wig shall be ready for you.” 

The next night Loki was back on time, waiting 
for the dwarf. Soon he saw Dvalin ’s little green 
eyes shining in the dim evening light. True to his 
word, the dwarf had the wig of hair with him. The 



THE WIG WAS MADE OF FINE THREADS OF PURE GOLD 


tai^ks from the: far north 37 

wig was made of fine threads of pure gold. The 
dwarf gave the hair to Loki and then ran back into 
the wood. 

lyoki went as quickly as .he could up to Asgard. 
When he reached Thor’s house, he found Sif still 
crying about the loss of her hair. She dried her 
eyes when she saw the golden wig. 

Thor placed the golden hair on his wife’s head, 
and stepped off to see how it looked. Then a 
wonderful thing happened. The hair of gold began 
at once to grow on Sif’s head, just as though it had 
always belonged there. Sif was all smiles again. 

All the gods came to look at the hair of pure gold. 
Loki was glad to get off so easily, but the gods did 
not quite forgive him. They could not feel safe 
while the mischief-maker was around. 


THE DWARF’S PRESENTS 

After Loki had brought the wig of gold hair to Sif 
he thought he would try to get some presents for the 
other gods. So he went again to the forest to see 
the little dwarf Dvalin. He asked the dwarf whether 
he could make anything else as wonderful as the 
golden hair. 

“If you can wait a few days,” Dvalin said, “I 
will make you some presents to take to the gods.” 

“I will gladly wait,” answered Loki. “When shall 
I come for them?” 


38 


talks krom thk far north 


“Just one week from to-night,” said Dvalin, 
rolling his little green eyes. Then he ran off into 
the thickest part of the forest. 

At the end of the week the presents were ready. 
Loki carried them up to Asgard and gave them to 
Odin. 

The first present was a magic ship. It was so 
small that it could be folded up and carried in the 
pocket when it was not needed. When the gods 
wished to use the ship, it would spread out large 
enough to carry them all. 

The most wonderful thing about the ship was 
that it made its own breezes. The gods need never 
wait for a good wind to blow. 

Father Odin named the ship Skidbladnir. 

The second present was a sharp sword, which was 
always sure to hit the mark. Odin gave this 
present to Tyr, the brave sword-god, who had lost 
his hand in the wolf’s mouth. 

All the gods praised the dwarf for the wonderful 
presents which he had made. Toki went about 
boasting that Dvalin did better work than any of 
the other dwarfs. 

There was one of the dwarfs who did not like to 
hear all the praise given to Dvalin.. This dwarf’s 
name was Sindri. Sindri went to Loki and said: 

“Let me make some presents for the gods, too. 
I can make more wonderful presents than Dvalin 
made, and my gifts will be more useful.” 


TALES EROM THE EAR NORTH 


39 


Loki said: “I am sure you cannot make anything 
more wonderful or more useful than the ship 
Skidbladnir. Still, you may try. I will give you 
a week in which to make the presents. Then we w'll 
take them up to Asgard and give them to the All- 
father. If the gods say that anything you have 



THE MAGIC SHIP, SKIDBLADNIR 


made is more wonderful or more useful than Dvalin’s 
presents, you may have my head.” 

Loki ran off laughing, but Sindri called after him, 
‘T shall hold you to your word, Loki.” 

Sindri went to work at once. At the end of the 
week the gifts were finished. Sindri helped Loki 
take them up to Asgard. They laid the gifts at 
Odin’s feet. 


40 TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 

The father of the gods thanked Sindri for the 
presents and then looked first at a large animal. It 
was a wild boar. 

“What is so wonderful about this creature?” 
asked Odin. 

“That,” said Sindri, “is a golden boar. Its bristles 
are made of pure gold. There will never be any 
darkness where the boar is, for its gleaming body 
gives out a light like the sun. More than this, 
the boar can run like the wind, as well on the sea 
as on the land.” 

“Very good,” said Odin. Then he picked up a 
gold ring. “Tell me,” he said, “of what use is this 
plain gold ring?” 

“The ring,” answered Sindri, “is more wonderful 
than it appears. Once in every nine nights another 
ring just like it will drop from it.” 

“Very strange,” said Odin as he placed the ring 
on his little finger. 

He looked at an iron hammer next. “Now tell me 
the use of this iron hammer,” he said. 

“The hammer,” replied Sindri, “is the most won- 
derful of all. It will keep red hot whenever it 
is in use. It never fails to hit the mark and will 
always return to the hand of its owner.” 

Odin was pleased with each of the presents. He 
asked the other gods which of the presents of the 
two dwarfs would be of most use to them. They 
said that the wonderful hammer would be the most 


talks from the far north 41 

useful of all, because it would help them to drive 
away the frost-giants. 

“You have chosen wisely,” the Allfather said. 
“The frost-giants are becoming bolder every day. 
Perhaps we shall now be able to get rid of them.” 

Odin gave the hammer to Thor, the thunder-god, 
who always after this carried it with him. 

When Loki saw that the gods had chosen Sindri’s 
hammer as the most useful of all the presents he 
feared for his life. He had promised to give Sindri 
his head if they chose one of this dwarf’s presents 
and he knew that vSindri would hold him to his 
promise. Being a coward, Loki ran off and hid 
himself. 

The dwarf said that it was not fair for Loki to 
run away when he had made a promise. “I did 
not expect to find a coward among the gods,” said 
he. When Thor heard about the promise, he said : 
“A coward Loki surely is, but he shall be caught 
and made to keep his promise.” Thor at once 
went after Loki and brought him back to Odin’s 
palace. 

When the dwarf saw Loki coming back, he -sprang 
at him and was about to cut off his head, but Loki 
cried out: “Stop! You shall not touch my neck! 
I promised you only my head.” 

Then Sindri saw that he was beaten, for he could 
not take Loki’s head without cutting his neck. The 
dwarf went off in a rage, but Loki’s head was saved. 


42 


TAI,^S FROM THE FAR NORTH 


EATING THOR’S GOATS 

One day in early spring, Thor heard that the frost- 
giants were sending cold winds over the land. The 
frosty breezes were nipping the buds and killing the 
grass just as everything was beginning to grow 
nicely. 

Thor started off in his goat-chariot toward Giant 
Land, where the frost-giants lived. He would kill 
the giants with his red-hot hammer. 

As he was setting out, Thor saw Loki, the idle god, 
sitting by the roadside, and called to him. I^oki 
ran after the chariot and jumped in. Then Thor 
touched the two goats with the whip and they were 
soon on their way toward the North. 

All day Thor and Loki traveled over the rough 
country. At night they came to the edge of a great 
forest. Here they saw a peasant’s hut. The long 
ride had made them both tired. They stopped and 
Thor jumped out of the chariot. He knocked at the 
door of the hut. A poor peasant opened the door. 

“We, are travelers on our way to Giant Land,” 
Thor said. “We should like to rest here all night 
and get some supper.” 

“You are welcome to sleep here all night,” the 
peasant said, “but we can not give you any supper. 
We are very poor people and have just given the 
last bit of food we had to our children.” 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


43 


*‘Oh, there will be no trouble about the supper,” 
said Thor, laughing. ‘T will get the meat if you 
will make a hot fire.” 

The peasant set about making the fire, but he 
wondered where the meat was coming from. Thor 
called to Loki to kill the two goats. It did not take 
Loki long to do this. Then Thor, took the goats 
into the hut and gave them to the peasant’s wife 
saying : “Cook these goats for our supper, but save the 
skins and be careful not to break any of the bones.” 

When the meal was ready Thor invited the peas- 
ant’s family to eat with him. They all sat down 
together. There were two children, a little girl 
named Roska and a boy named Thialfi. The 
children had never tasted goat’s meat before. 

lyoki, the mischief-maker, sat next to the boy at 
the table. While the others were talking together, 
lyoki whispered to Thialfi: 

“Taste the marrow in the bone, Thialfi. That is 
the sweetest part of the meat.” 

Thialfi broke his bone to get at the marrow. How 
sweet it tasted to him! 

The next morning Thor woke Loki early and told 
him to get the chariot ready. The peasant watched 
Loki as he pulled the chariot around to the door. 

The peasant wonclered how they could use the 
chariot when the goats had been killed and eaten 
for supper. He soon found that his visitors were 
not common men. 


44 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


Thor gathered up all the bones of the goats and 
laid them upon the skins which he had spread on the 
ground. He waved his hammer over the bones and 
spoke a few words. At once the goats came to life 
again and jumped up, just as lively as ever. 

But as Thor looked at them he saw that one of 
the goats was lame. He knew by this that some 
one had broken a bone at supper the night before. 

The thunder-god flew into a rage. Sparks of 
lightning were seen about his head. He raised his 
hammer and said that he would kill the whole 
family. 

The peasant was much frightened, for he thought 
they must all die. Just then, Thialfi stepped up to 
Thor and said : 

“Do not kill my father and mother and little sister. 
They are not to blame. I broke the bone to get at 
the marrow. Kill me, but do not harm the others.” 

Thor was so much pleased with the boy’s courage, 
that he forgot his anger. He changed his mind and 
promised that he would not kill any of them. Then 
he said to the peasant: 

“You may well be proud of your son. He is a 
brave boy, for he is not afraid to tell the truth. I 
will take him with me to fight the frost-giants.” 

“Thialfi will be glad to go with you, Thor,” the 
peasant said, “but his sister Roska will be very lonely 
without him.” 

“Let Roska come, too,” said Thor. 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 45 

How happy it made the children to hear they 
might go with the thunder-god ! 

Thor could not use his chariot this time, because 
of the lame goat. He left the chariot and the 
goats with the peasant, who promised to take good 
care of them. Thialfi and Roska said farewell to 
their parents and started with Thor and Loki for 
Giant Land. 


SLEEPING IN THE GIANT’S GLOVE 

The road to Giant Land ran through the forest. 
It was a long road. Although Thor and Loki and 
the children traveled on it all day, at night the end 
was not yet in sight. 

Darkness came on while the travelers were still 
in the forest. They could no longer see the road. 
So they stopped and looked about for a place in 
which to sleep. 

Presently Thialfi called out that he and Roska 
had found an empty house. Thor and Loki stumbled 
around until they came to the door. They went in 
and felt their way about in the darkness. 

The house seemed to have five rooms, opening on 
a large hall. 

“This must be a big house,” Thialfi said. “Here 
is the largest room. Let us lie down in it.” 

So they slept in the largest room all night. 

At daylight Thor awoke. He felt the house 


46 


TAI^ES EROM THE EAR NORTH 


shaking and heard a loud rumbling noise outside. 
He called to Loki and the children to wake up. 
They were all so frightened that they ran out of the 
house without stopping to look back. 


The noise grew louder. They looked around to 



AFTER A WHILE HE AWOKE 


They watched the giant. Even Thor and Loki 
seemed tiny beside him. After a while he awoke. 
When he saw Thor and Eoki and the two children 
he spoke in a loud voice to them. 

‘Who are you/^ he asked, “and what are you 
doing here?’’ 


tales from the far north 


47 


‘‘We are travelers on our way to Giant Land,” 
Thor answered. “We have been sleeping all night 
in a house in the forest.” 

“There is no house in this forest,” the giant said. 

Then Thor turned to point to the house in which 
they had slept during the night. Now that he saw 
it by daylight he knew that it was not a house at 
all. It was the giant’s glove that they had stumbled 
into in the darkness. They had spent the night in 
the thumb of the glove. 

How the giant laughed when Thor told him they 
had thought it a house ! 

“I, too, am going to Giant Land,” said he, getting 
up from the ground. “I will show you the way if 
you wish to come with me.” 

Thor thanked the giant and said they would be 
glad to travel with him. The giant turned to Loki, 
who held the bag of food, and said: 

“Let me carry your bag for you.” 

Loki was glad to give the bag up, for he had found 
it quite heavy. The giant threw it into his own 
large bag. He tied a string around his bag and 
started off with the load on his back. 

What long steps the giant took! Thor and Loki 
had to run to keep up with him and the children 
could hardly help falling behind. 

At noon the giant stopped in a grove of trees. 

“I feel sleepy,” he said. “I think I will take a nap. 
Here is the bag of food.” 


48 TAIvES FROM THE FAR NORTH 

Then he threw himself on the ground and was 
soon fast asleep and snoring. 

Thor and Loki and the children were hungry. 
They tried to untie the string which was around the 
bag of food. They could not do it. They pulled 
and pulled, but it was of no use. 

Thor called to the giant to wake up and open the 
bag so they could get something to eat. The giant 
kept on snoring. 

Thor was angry. He threw his hammer at the giant 
and hit him in the middle of the forehead. The 
giant opened one eye and said in a sleepy voice: 

“Was that a leaf that fell on my head?” 

In a moment he was snoring again. 

This made Thor still more angry. He again threw 
his hammer, with great force, at the giant’s head. 
This time the giant opened his eyes half-way and said : 

“I think I felt an acorn fall on my head from the 
trees above me.” 

Then he fell sound asleep once more. 

Thor was now in a rage. With all his might he 
threw his hammer a third time. It struck the 
giant’s forehead and the giant turned over. He 
looked surprised and said: 

“Thor, did you see a bird’s nest fall on my head?” 

Before Thor could answer, the giant rose up. 
He took his bag from the ground, and started off, 
never once looking behind him. 

There was nothing for Thor and Toki and the 


tales from the far north 49 

children to do but follow the giant. They ran 
after him until they reached the land of the frost- 
giants. 

Then they stopped to gaze at the walls of ice and 
snow which surrounded Giant Land. When they 
turned to look for the giant, he was gone. They 
never saw him again. 

THOR’S VISIT TO THE KING OF THE 
FROST-GIANTS 

Part I 

Thor and Loki had never been in the land of the 
frost-giants before. It was a strange country. All 
about they saw ice and snow. Snow-flakes were 
flying through the air. 

Thor started out to look for the palace of the king. 
Loki followed with the children. The palace was 
not far away. They soon came to it. It was a 
large white building made of blocks of ice. The 
posts of the gates and the doors were huge icicles. 

Thor and Loki went into the palace. They saw 
the king of the frost-giants. He was sitting on his 
throne, which also was made of ice. It was at the 
end of a long hall. Icicles hung from the ceiling. 

The king had a crown of ice on his head. His 
coat was made of soft snow-flakes and his shoes were 
cut from blocks of ice. In his hand he held a long 
icicle for a scepter. 


50 


talks krom thk far north 


When the king saw the strangers, he asked: 

‘Tray, who are you and what brings you to the 
land of the frost-giants?” 

Thor answered: ‘T am the thunder-god. I have 
come with my friends to visit you.” 

“We have heard of you, Thor,” said the king. 
“We have been told that you are very strong. 
Let us test your strength.” 

Thor answered that he would try his strength on 
anything in the palace. 

The king pointed to the darkest corner of the 
room and said : 

“There is my cat, Thor. See whether you can 
lift her.” 

Thor thought he could easily lift the cat. He 
put both his strong arms around her, but, although 
he pulled with all his might, he could raise only one 
paw from the floor. He could not get the cat out of 
the corner. 

“I see that you can not lift the cat, Thor,” the 
frost-king said, “Perhaps you would like to try 
your strength on something else.” 

He beckoned to an old woman who stood near the 
door. 

“Thor,” he said, “this old woman was my nurse 
when I was a baby. Let me see whether you can 
throw her down on the ground.” 

Thor was sure that any man could throw an old 
woman down. He tried, but he could not move 


TAhHS FROM the: FAR NORTH 51 



HE COULD RAISE ONLY ONE PAW FROM THE FLOOR 


her. The old nurse brought Thor down on his 
knees. 

“The old woman is too^ strong for you, Thor,” 
said the frost -king. “Now let us see how much 
water you can drink. Here is my large drinking- 
horn. Try to empty it.” 

Thor held the drinking-horn to his lips. He took 
a long drink. Then he looked into the horn. He 


52 


TAI^ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


thought he must have emptied it, but he was sur- 
prised to see that there was just as much water in it 
as at first. He took two more drinks, but he could 
not empty the horn. 

“You are not very thirsty to-day, “ said the frost- 
king. “What will you try next?” 

Thor answered that he had done enough and would 
not try anything else. 

“Then let me see what your friends can do,” said 
the king. 

Thor told the king to try Toki. 

THOR’S VISIT TO THE KING OF THE 
FROST-GIANTS 

Part II 

Loki was fond of boasting about what he could do. 
He said that he could eat faster than any one in the 
palace. When the frost-king heard this, he called 
to one of his servants and told him to bring in a 
trough full of meat. The trough was made of wood, 
and was so long that it reached all the way across 
the great hall. The meat was piled up in it. 

The king placed his servant at one end of the 
trough and told Loki to start at the other end. 

“Now,” said the king, “let me see which of you 
will be first to eat up to the middle.” 

Loki and the servant began at the same time to 
eat the meat. Soon they had both eaten up to the 


TAI^ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 53 

middle. Then Loki looked up. He saw that, 
while he had eaten only the meat, the servant had 
eaten the trough as well. Loki knew that he was 
beaten. 

“You can not be very hungry to-day, Loki,” 
said the king. “What else can you do?” 

Loki was afraid that he might be beaten twice, 
so he said that he was too tired for any more games. 

Thialfi now offered to run a race. The king called 
to one of his servants to race with Thialfi. They 
went outside to run. 

“The race will be from the palace to the gate,” 
said the king. “The gate will be the goal.” 

Thialfi was a swift runner, blithe had gone only 
half-way when he saw that the servant had reached 
the goal. Thialfi did not like to be beaten. 

Thor now spoke to the king of the frost-giants, 
saying: “Since we have failed to win any of the 
races, we will go home.” 

The king went with them to the gate. Before 
they parted, he said: 

“Do not feel angry because you failed to win, 
Thor. You were not so badly beaten as you seemed 
to be. No wonder you could not empty the drink- 
ing-horn! One end of it was in the ocean. You 
drank so much water that many large rivers dried 
up. 

“The cat was really the Midgard serpent which 
reaches around the world and bites its own tail. 


54 tales from the far north 

“The old nurse was old age. No one can drive 
off old age. 

“The servant who beat Loki eating was wild-fire, 
which eats up everything in its path. 

“When Thialfi ran the race, he was racing with 
the wind, which no man can outrun.” 

The king went on: “When you met the giant in the 
wcod, Thor, you would have killed him with your 
hammer, if I had not placed a mountain over his 
head. As it is, you made three great valleys in the 
mountain. 

“You are much stronger, Thor, than we thought. 
It is not safe for us to have you in Giant Land. 
You will never be allowed to come into our country 
again.” 

Thor was very angry to find that tricks had been 
played on him. He raised his hammer to kill the 
king of the frost-giants. But just then a cloud of 
snow-flakes fell upon them. The snow-flakes were 
so thick that Thor could not see anything. 

When the snow-storm had passed, the frost-king 
was gone and Thor and Loki and the children were 
far away from Giant Land in a field of green grass. 
They tried to find the king and his ice palace again, 
but they could not. They went home without killing 
any of the frost-giants. 

On the way back Thor stopped at the peasant’s 
hut and left the children with their parents. Thor 
found that the lame gcat was better; so he said 


TAI,BS F'ROM THE) F'AR NORTH 55 

farewell to Thialfi and Roska, and he and Loki 
went back to Asgard in the goat chariot. 

ODE TO THE NORTHEAST WIND 

Welcome, wild northeaster! 

• Shame it is to see 
Odes to every zephyr, 

Ne’er a verse to thee. 

Welcome, black northeaster! 

Come! as came our fathers, 

Heralded by thee. 

Conquering from the eastward, 

Lords by land and sea. 

Come ; and strong within us 
Stir the Vikings’ blood ; 

Bracing brain and sinew ; 

Blow, thou wind of God! 

— Charles Kingsley. 


THOR’S FIGHT WITH THE WEAK-HEARTED 
GIANT 

Thor was fond of driving about the country in his 
goat chariot. Wherever he went he kept a sharp 
watch for the frost-giants.^ He wished to get into 
Giant Land again. 

The frost-giants tried to lead Thor away from 
their land whenever he came near. They knew that 
the red-hot hammer meant death to their icy hearts. 
Once, when Thor was driving through the forest 



POOR THOR LAY IN GREAT PAIN UNDER THE GIANT’S FOOT 




tai,e:s from the far north 57 

in the Far North, he met a party of frost-giants. He 
began to make fun of them, calling out: 

“Are you afraid of the thunder-god? Why do 
you try to keep him away from Giant Land? Why 
do you not come out and fight him?” 

The frost-giants answered from afar: 

“You shall not come into our country, Thor, as 
long as we can help it, but we will send one of our 
largest giants to fight you.” 

“The thunder-god will fight any one in Giant 
Land,” Thor shouted back. “Send a giant to this 
wood a week from to-day, early in the morning.” 
Then he drove on. 

When the day came, the largest of the giants 
went to the forest. His name was Hrungnir. He 
was so large that he could look over the tops of the 
tallest trees. Every one feared Hrungnir because 
of his great size. 

The giant waited for Thor in an open place in the 
wood. When he heard the thunder-god coming, he 
began to tremble and shake : for he had a weak heart 
in spite of his great size. He was not at all brave. 

Hrungnir feared that Thor might rise up suddenly 
out of the earth. So he laid his shield on the ground 
and stood on it. Then he closed his eyes. He was 
afraid to look around, 

Thor did not come out of the ground : but rushed 
up from in front and threw his red-hot hammer at 
the giant’s heart. Hrungnir raised his stone club 


58 tai.e:s from the: far north 

to keep off the hammer, but he could not save 
himself. 

The giant was killed. His stone club was broken 
to pieces, which flew all about. One of the pieces 
of the giant’s club hit Thor in the forehead. Thor 
and the giant fell down together. 

Thor’s friends came to help him, but the friends 
of the frost-giant fled into the woods. 

When the gods came near they saw that Thor was 
held down by one of the giant’s huge legs. They 
tried to lift the giant’s foot so that Thor could get 
up. The foot was too heavy for them. They 
could not move it. They pulled with all their 
might, but it was of no use. Poor Thor lay in great 
pain under the giant’s foot. 

Just then Thor’s little son Magni came along. 

“I can raise the giant’s foot,” he said. “Why did 
you not call me?” 

Little Magni went up to his father and lifted the 
giant’s foot as easily as though it had been a feather. 
All the gods thought this a wonderful thing, for 
Magni was only five years old. 

Everybody said that when Magni grew up he 
would be stronger than his father. Thor was proud 
of his little son. 

“Magni,” he said, “you have saved your father’s 
life. You shall have a present. Take the giant’s 
horse, Goldflax, for your own.” 

Now nothing could have pleased Magni more than 


TALKS FROM THE FAR NORTH 59 

to have a horse of his own. He jumped on Gold- 
flax and rode off, feeling very happy. 

The piece of stone in Thor’s forehead began to 
pain him. He tried to get it out, but he could not. 
He went to the wise men and women, to see whether 
they could help him. 

No one could get the piece of stone out. Ever 
after Thor went about with the stone splinter in his 
forehead. He never forgot his fight with Hrungnir, 
the largest of the frost-giants. 


THE LOSS OF THOR’S HAMMER 

One morning when the thunder-god awoke, he could 
not find his hammer. He knew that he had not lost 
it, for the night before he had laid it, with his belt 
of strength and his iron glove, at his side. The belt 
and the glove were still there, but the hammer was 
gone. 

Thor could not get along without his hammer. 
He hunted everywhere for it, but he could not find 
it. No one had seen it and no one could tell him 
anything about it. 

Then Thor went to see the mischief-maker. He 
thought that Loki must have taken the hammer, but 
Loki said: 

“I have not seen your hammer, Thor, but I will 
help you find it.” 

Loki thought of a way to find the hammer. He 


60 


TAI^ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


made a visit to Freya, the goddess of beauty and of 
the spring. Freya had blue eyes and golden hair and 
was said to be the most beautiful goddess in Asgard. 
She had a long coat made of eagle feathers. Any 
one who wore the feather coat could fly like a bird. 

Loki told the goddess that Thor had lost his 
wonderful hammer and would not be able to drive 
off the frost-giants without it. He said: 

‘Tf you will lend me your feather coat, Freya, I 
can fly all over the earth. Perhaps I may And the 
hammer. ’ ’ 

Freya was glad to help Thor, so she let Loki take 
her feather coat. 

Loki flew to all parts of the world, hunting for the 
lost hammer. He heard that the prince of the 
frost-giants had stolen the hammer while Thor was 
asleep, and had hidden it under the ground in Giant 
Land. 

Loki went at once to the palace of the frost-prince 
and asked him to give the hammer back. 

‘T will return the hammer,” the frost-prince said, 
‘‘if you will promise to give me beautiful Freya for 
my wife.” 

“I can not promise you that,” said Loki, “unless 
the goddess herself is willing; but I will do my best 
for you.” 

Loki flew home to Asgard and told Thor how they 
could get the hammer back. 

Thor and Loki went together to the beautiful 


TALERS FROM THE FAR NORTH 


61 


Freya and begged her to become the wife of the 
frost-prince. 

“I will not marry the frost-prince,” Freya said. 
‘‘I will never go to live in that cold land.” 

They tried to make the goddess change her mind, 
but she would not listen to them. 

As they walked away Loki said to Thor : 

“We can never get Freya to marry the frcst- 
prince. We must try another plan. I will tell you 
what to do. Put on Freya’s long feather coat and 
her veil and necklace. Then we will go to the 
frost-prince. He will think that you are the bride.” 

So Thor dressed up in Freya’s clothes. He put 
a thick veil over his face. Loki sent word to the 
frost-prince to make ready for the wedding. 

When Loki and the bride reached the palace, the 
frost-prince was waiting to meet them. He took 
them into the palace, where a great feast was spread 
They all sat down to eat. 

The bride surprised every one at the table by 
eating a whole ox. Loki saw all the giants watch- 
ing and he said to the frost -prince : 

“You must excuse the bride for eating so much. 
She has been fasting and is very hungry.” 

The frost -prince sat next to the bride. He 
leaned over and lifted her veil just a little. 

“Oh,” he cried, “what bright eyes she has!” 

“That is because she is so happy,” Loki replied. 

“What large hands she has!” said the frost-prince. 



tales from the far north 


63 


“She will be able to help you with your work,” 
said Loki. 

“Why does she not talk?” asked the other frost- 
giants. 

“Oh, she is very bashful,” answered Loki. 

Then the frost-prince told his friends not to worry 
the bride. He sent for the hammer, and when it 
was brought to him, he laid it in the bride’s lap. 

Thor seized the hammer. He pulled off the veil 
and the feather coat. There stood the thunder-god, 
wearing his belt of strength and his iron glove. 
Sparks of lightning flew out from his red hair. 

Thor threw the hammer at the heart of the frost- 
prince. The prince fell dead. Then Thor threw his 
hammer quickly at each of the other frost-giants. 
He killed all the frost -giants that were in the palace. 

Before he left, Thor set fire to the palace with his 
red-hot hammer. Then he and Loki went home to 
tell what they had done. How glad the gods were 
to know that the hammer was safe again! After- 
ward, Thor planted a grove of trees to mark the place 
where the palace of the frost-prince had stood. 

FREYA 

Out of the morning land, 

Over the snowdrifts, 

Beautiful Freya came 
Tripping to Scoring. 

White were the moorlands. 

And frozen before her; 


64 


tales from the far north 


Green were the moorlands, 

And blooming behind her. 

Out of her gold locks 
Shaking the spring flowers, 

Out of her garments 
Shaking the southwind, 

Around in the birches 
Awakening the throstles. 

— CharlFS Kingsley: The Longbeards* Saga. 


BUILDING THE WALL 

At one time the gods were much troubled by the 
frost-giants, who would come so near to the Golden 
City that the buds and leaves were nipped by their 
icy breath. 

Father Odin saw that something must be done. 
He called all the gods to his palace and said: 

“Our enemies, the frost-giants, have become very 
bold of late. Each night they come nearer to the 
Golden City while we are asleep. What shall we do?” 
The gods thought for a while, and then they said : 
“Let us build a great wall that shall reach around 
our city and close it in on all sides.” 

“That is a good plan,” replied the Allfather. 
“But who will build the wall?” 

Just as Odin asked this question, the door opened 
and in walked a stranger. He was^tall and strong- 
looking, but he did not have a pleasant face. He 
spoke to the gods thus: 


tales from the far north 


65 


“I am a builder from a far country. I will build 
your wall. In three winters it shall be finished.” 

The gods then asked the builder what pay he 
wished for his work. 

“This shall be my pay,” answered the builder. 
“You must give me the goddess Freya for my wife, 
and the sun and moon for my own.” 

The gods told the builder that they could not get 
along without the beautiful goddess, nor would they 
give up the sun and moon. The builder then went 
away, saying that he would return the next evening. 

After the stranger had gone, the gods began to 
plan again about the wall. They wished very much 
that they might have the builder do the work for 
them, but he asked too great a price. 

While they were talking Loki came in. He had 
heard about the strange builder. 

“How fine it would be to have a wall around the 
Golden City!” Loki said. “How safe we should feel! 
We could sleep in peace on our golden couches if we 
had this wall.” 

While Loki was speaking some of the gods began 
to think, as the mischief-maker did, that it would be 
a fine thing to have the builder make the wall for 
them. The more they thought about it, the more 
sure they became that they must have the wall. 
They almost forgot about the great price to be paid. 

Father Odin shook his head sadly when he saw 
that the gods were set on having the stranger build 


66 rAhHS FROM THE FAR NORTH 

the wall, for he knew that they could not get along 
without the sun and moon and Freya. 

“Three winters is a long time to wait for the build- 
ing of the wall,” he said. “Many things may happen 
in three winters. Let us tell the builder that he 
must finish the work in one winter, if he is to build 
the wall for us : and let us also make him agree not 
to have any help in his work.” 

The gods all thought this a wise plan. Odin took 
heart again, for he felt sure that the stranger would 
never agree to build the wall in one winter without 
the help of any one; and so Freya and the sun and 
moon might be saved after all. 

The next night, when the builder came again, the 
gods told him their terms. To Odin’s surprise, the 
stranger said: 

“If you will surely give me Freya and the sun and 
moon, I will build the wall in one winter, but I 
must have my horse, Swadilfari, with me.” 

Now Odin did not wish to agree to let the builder 
have his horse with him, but Loki whispered to the 
gods that a horse could not be of much help in 
building a wall. At last they agreed to let the 
builder keep his horse. 

The next day the builder began work. 

He worked day and night. At night he drew 
great loads of stone with the help of his horse, 
Swadilfari. In the daytime he set the stones in 
place. 


tales from the far north 67 

When the gods saw the size of the loads which 
the horse drew, they were surprised. The work on 
the wall went along rapidly By mid-winter the 
wall was half-way around the city. 

Then the gods began to fear that they might have 
to give the builder the pay for which he had asked. 
As the days went by, they became more and more 
uneasy. What if they should have to give up 
Freya, their beautiful goddess? What if they 
should never see the sun and moon again? 

At last the wall was finished except for the gate. 
Only three days were left till summer. What could 
the gods do? 

They sent for Loki and said to him: 

“See what trouble your plan has brought us! In 
three days we must lose Freya and the sun and moon 
unless we can keep the builder from finishing the 
gate. You have gotten us into this trouble, Loki, 
and now you must find a way to get us out of it, or 
we will take your head.” 

Loki did not wish to lose his head, so he made a 
plan to save Freya and the sun and moon for the 
gods. 

The next night, when the builder and his horse 
were starting to haul stones for the gate, Loki 
changed himself into a pretty little pony with 
shining mane and tail. 

The pony stood in a field near the builder and 
began to neigh. The horse Swadilfari, hearing the 


TAI^ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


68 



THEN The chase began 




neighing, left his work and ran to find the pony. The 
pony galloped off into the woods, with Swadilfari 
following. 


tales from the far north 


69 


When the builder saw his horse running away he 
ran after him. Then the chase began. Swadilfari 
ran after the pony and the builder ran after Swadil- 
fari. They kept this up all night and part of the 
next day. 

Late the next afternoon the pony disappeared and 
the builder caught his horse. When the builder at 
last returned to the wall, he was so tired that he had 
to sit down and rest. The horse was tired, too. 

All the gods came out to see what the builder 
would do. Only one day was left. The builder 
saw that he could not finish the gate. He must lose 
Frey a and the sun and moon, although he had 
worked hard the whole winter. When he thought 
of this, it made him so angry that he rose up and 
began throwing stones and rocks at the golden 
palaces of the gods. 

The gods were now trembling with fear. The 
whole city would soon be destroyed. Just at this 
time Thor, who had been off on a journey, returned. 
The thunder-god saw the trouble. As soon as he 
looked at the builder, he knew him to be a frost-giant. 

Thor hurled his red-hot hammer at the giant. 
The hammer went straight to the frost-giant’s 
heart. The great fellow rolled over on the ground, 
dead. 

The gods set to work at once to build the gate 
themselves. It was soon done and they were safe 
at last from the frost-giants. 


70 


TAI,ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


THE KETTLE MILE-DEEP 

One day the gods were planning to have a feast. 
They were to dine on a great fish which the sea-god, 
^gir, had caught. When the fish was ready to be 
cooked, the gods found that they had no kettle large 
enough to hold it. Then Tyr, the sword-god, said: 

“I know where we can get a large kettle. There 
is a frost-giant, named Hymir, who owns a kettle so 
large that it is called ‘Mile-Deep.’ The giant lives 
near the sea-shore.” 

Thor offered to go with Tyr to ask the giant for 
his great kettle. They set off together in Thor’s 
goat chariot. They rode until they came to a forest. 
There they saw the peasant’s hut at which they had 
stopped once before. 

The peasant saw them coming and opened the 
door. 

Thor said: “We are on our way to the sea-shore. 
We must get to the other side of the forest before 
night. The goats are tired and the road through the 
forest is not good. We should like to leave the goats 
with you.” 

The peasant said that he would take good care of 
them. 

So Thor and Tyr went on foot through the forest. 
The tall trees growing so closely together made the 
forest dark and gloomy. It was not easy to find the 


YALES EROM yhe Ear noryh 71 

way because of the thick bushes which had grown 
over the path. 

After a time, Thor and Tyr could smell salt in the 
air. By this they knew that they were near the 
sea-shore. As soon as they were out of the woods, 
they saw the giant’s house. 

Thor went up to the door and rapped on it. The 
giant’s wife came out. Thor told her that they had 
come to ask Hymir for the kettle, called “Mile-Deep.” 

“Hymir is not yet home from his fishing in the 
sea,” said the giant’s wife, “but he will be here soon. 
He is always tired and cross when he first comes in, 
and if he sees you he may kill you. You must hide 
under one of those kettles until he is rested.” 

As she spoke she led the way to a row of large 
kettles which hung from a rafter at the far end of 
the room. In these kettles the giant cooked the 
large deep-sea fish which he caught. 

Thor and Tyr crept under the largest kettle and 
waited. Soon they heard the giant coming. He 
rushed into the house with a great noise. He was 
so tall that his head touched the ceiling. He looked 
cross and he grumbled about his poor luck in fishing. 

After a while the giant became quiet. Then his 
wife said: 

“Hymir, would you like to see some visitors to- 
night?” 

Hymir shouted, “No!” in a voice so loud that the 
whole house shook. The rafter on which the kettles 



sh: 


LUD THE WAY TO 


A ROW OE LARGE KETTLES WHICH HUNG 
FROM A RAFTER 




TAI,ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 73 

hung broke in two, sending the kettles to the floor 
with a crash. All the kettles Were broken to pieces 
except the one under which Thor and Tyr were 
hiding. This was the kettle Mile-Deep, which was so 
large that it. rested on the floor and so was not 
harmed by the breaking of the rafter. Thor and Tyr 
crawled out from under Mile-Deep. 

Hymir was in a rage when he saw the visitors and 
the broken kettles. But when he found that his 
visitors were gods, he treated them kindly. 

Thor and Tyr, for their part, were so frightened 
that they did not dare to ask for the kettle Mile- 
Deep at this time. They told the giant that they 
had stopped to rest at his house until the next day. 

Hymir then invited them to have supper with 
him. They sat down to eat. Thor was so hungry 
that he ate two whole oxen. The giant was sur- 
prised. He, too, was hungry, but he could not eat 
so much as Thor. 

When supper was over, the giant’s wife cleared 
off the table. Then they all went to bed. 


THOR GOES FISHING 

The next morning Thor and Tyr awoke early. The 
salt air made them hungry. They sat around, 
waiting for breakfast. 

Hymir, seeing them waiting, said: “Thor, you 
ate so much for supper last night that I will not try 


74 talbs f^rom the far north 

to feed you again. This morning you must fish for 
your breakfast.” 

“Very well,” said Thor, walking away toward the 
sea-shore. The giant followed with the fishing- 
lines. 

When they had reached the boat, Thor asked Hy- 
mir for some bait. 

“Get your own bait,” said the giant, crossly. 

“It will not take me long to do so,” answered Thor. 

In a field near by the giant’s cattle were grazing. 
Thor ran to the field. He twisted off the head of 
the largest bull and came back with it. 

“Here is my bait,” he called out to Hymir. He 
threw the bull’s head into the boat. Hymir did not 
like to have his best bull killed, but he said nothing. 

Hymir told Thor to row the boat. Thor took 
long strokes with the oars and soon had the boat far 
out at sea. 

“Stop!” cried the giant. “You have rowed far 
enough. ’ ’ 

“Oh, no!” said Thor. “The water is not deep 
enough here for my fishing.” So he rowed on until 
they were in the middle of the ocean. 

Then they began to fish. The giant threw out 
his line. He caught two large whales. Thor baited 
his hook with the bull’s head and threw his line into 
the deepest water. 

Far down in the ocean, the great Midgard serpent, 
which reached all around the world and could bite 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


75 


its own tail, was looking about for something to eat. 
The serpent spied the bull’s head and swallowed it 
with Thor’s hook. 

Thor was glad when the bait was taken, for he 
had often wished to catch the Midgard serpent. The 
great creature gave a quick jerk at the line, nearly 
tipping the boat over. Thor held on to the line. 
He stood up in the boat and pulled so hard that his 
feet broke through the bottom and he had to stand 
on the bed of the ocean; 

The serpent tried to swim off with the bait. 
Thor was in great danger of being pulled along with 
the line, but he used all his strength and held back. 

Just then the giant saw the danger. He feared 
that something worse might happen, so he cut 
Thor’s line with his knife. The serpent swam off 
with the bait. It made Thor angry to lose the 
serpent. 

The giant put the two whales over his shoulders 
and waded to land, stepping over great waves at 
each stride. Thor picked up the boat and carried 
it to shore. It was no longer of any use, for the 
bottom had been broken out, but Thor wished to 
show the giant that the thunder-god was not to be 
beaten in strength. 

Thor was very sorry that he had not caught the 
Midgard serpent. He made up his mind to try 
again some day. ^ 


76 


TAI.ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


CARRYING THE KETTLE HOME 

After the giant had seen Thor’s great strength in 
fishing for the serpent, he was afraid of him. He 
praised the thunder-god. He said he was glad to 
have so strong a visitor in his house. He invited 
the two gods to come to visit him again. 

Thor and Tyr thought this a good time to ask for 
the kettle, Mile-Deep. So Thor said to the giant: 

“Hymir, the gods are making ready for a feast, 
and are in need of a large kettle. Will you not give 
Us your kettle Mile-Deep for a present?” 

‘T do not like to part with it,” answered the giant, 
“but will give it to you on one condition. If you 
can break the golden goblet out of which I drink, I 
will give you the kettle.” 

“Show me your goblet,” said Thor. The giant 
brought it from the closet where it was kept. 

“I see nothing wonderful about that golden goblet,” 
Thor said, “Why should it be so hard to break?” 

“That is for you to find out,” answered Hymir. 
“Many giants have tried to break my golden goblet, 
but have not been able to do so.” 

Thor wished to get the kettle Mile-Deep, so he 
took the goblet in his hands and threw it with all his 
strength against the wall. It did not break. Then 
Thor threw the goblet at a hard rock, but it was 
not harmed the least bit. Once more he tried, this 


tai,e:s from the far north 


77 


time throwing it against the iron kettle. Still it 
was not broken. 

Thor gave the goblet to Tyr, who tried to break 
it. But he could not break the goblet. The gods 
feared that they must lose the kettle. 

Just then the giant’s wife came up behind Thor. 

“Try throwing the goblet at Hymir’s forehead,” 
she whispered. “That is the only thing hard enough 
to break it.” 

Thor picked up the goblet again and threw it with 
all his might at Hymir. It struck the giant’s fore- 
head and broke into a thousand pieces. 

The giant was in a great rage. Thor and Tyr went 
straight for the kettle. They lifted it up and 
pushed it through the door. The kettle was so 
large that they broke the floor of the giant’s house 
in getting it out. 

Thor and Tyr ran into the forest with the kettle. 
Hymir ran after them. He called to the other 
frost-giants to come to his aid. 

When Thor heard all the frost-giants coming after 
him, he turned and faced them. He set the kettle 
on the ground and threw his red-hot hammer at 
them. The hammer struck Hymir in the heart. 
The ugly old fellow fell dead. 

When the other frost-giants saw that Hymir was 
dead, they ran back toward Giant Land. 

Thor would have gone after them, but he remem- 
bered that the gods were waiting for their feast. He 


78 tales trom the ear north 

picked up the kettle Mile-Deep and put it over his 
head. It covered his whole body. 

Tyr ran ahead to tell the gods that Thor was 
coming with the kettle. The gods came to meet 
Thor. How they laughed when they saw him with 
the kettle over his head! But they helped to carry 
the heavy load. 

It did not take long to build a fire under the kettle 
and cook the sea-fish. Then began the greatest 
feast the gods had ever had. 

COOKING THE OX 

Once Loki and two of his friends went out hunting 
in the forest. They lost their way and wandered 
about for a long time. By and by they became 
hungry. Not far off they saw some oxen grazing. 

Loki ran up to the herd and killed the largest ox. 
He brought it back to his friends and together they 
built a big fire of dry branches and logs. They put 
the ox over the fire and sat down to rest while the 
flesh was cooking. 

When they thought the ox had cooked long enough 
they took it off and made ready to eat. But the 
flesh was not cooked. It was just as raw as if it 
had not been on the fire at all. 

So they put the ox on the fire a second time and 
sat down to wait. After £/ while they tried the 
flesh again, but it was still raw. They were just 


TAIvKS FROM THE FAR NORTH 79 

wondering what they should do, when they heard a 
voice in the tree above them. 

Looking up, they saw a large eagle in the topmost 
branches. The eagle said, ‘Tf you will give me my 
fill of the ox, it shall be cooked.” 

They agreed willingly to this, saying: 

“You shall have your fill; only let the ox be 
cooked quickly.” 

For a third time they placed the ox on the fire. 
In a little while the flesh was cooked. Then the 
eagle came down for his share. He was so greedy 
that he ate the two shoulder pieces and two legs. 

This made Loki angry, for those were the best 
pieces. He picked up a long pole which lay on the 
ground, and struck the eagle just as it was flying off. 
Then a strange thing happened. The pole stuck 
to the eagle and Loki stuck to the pole. The mis- 
chief-maker could not get loose. 

Away they went, over hills and mountains and 
rivers. Loki was dragged through the tree- tops and 
now and then he struck a sharp rock as he was 
carried over a mountain. He would cry out in pain, 
begging the eagle to let him go. 

Now the eagle was not what he seemed to be. He 
was really an old frost-giant named Thiassi. 

“I will let you go,” said Thiassi, “if you will 
promise to get me some golden apples from the 
goddess Idun.” 

Loki promised. 


80 


TAhHS FROM run far NORTH 


“Only let me go,” he said, “and to-morrow I will 
bring some of the golden apples to the wood outside 
the gates of Asgard.” 

When the eagle heard this, he dropped Loki down 
into a grassy field. The mischief-maker ran home 
to bathe his bruised body and plan how to get the 
golden apples from the goddess Idun. 

IDUN’S GOLDEN APPLES 

The apples which the beautiful goddess Idun carried 
about with her were very wonderful. Whoever ate 
of them would never grow old. The goddess kept 
them in a pearl box. 

Every day the gods went to Idun for some of the 
golden apples and in that way they kept themselves 
young. No matter how many apples Idun gave to 
the gods, there were always just as many in the box 
as at first. 

Now the frost-giant Thiassi had heard about the 
golden apples. As he was beginning to look old, he 
wished for some of them. So he made Loki promise 
to get him some. 

The next day Loki went for a walk in a garden 
where he knew he would find Idun. When he saw 
her, he called out: “Sweet goddess, pray give me 
some of your golden apples.” 

“You do not need any of the apples, Loki,” Idun 
replied. “You are still young.” 


tai,e;s from the far north 


81 



Loki saw that he could not get the golden apples 
from the goddess, so he said : 

“If you will not give me any of your golden apples, 
I will go where I can get some that are better than 
yours.” 

“Where is that?” asked Tdun. 


82 TAI,ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 

“Oh, on a tree outside the gates of Asgard,” Loki 
answered. “Come with me and I will show them to 
you.” 

Idun did not believe what Loki told her, but she 
went with him out of the city. Loki took the god- 
dess a long way off into the wood. He showed her 
a crab-apple tree. Then he ran off, laughing at the 
trick he had played. 

Idun was left alone. It was getting dark and she 
did not know the way home. How tired she was! 
She sat down on the ground to rest. 

While Idun was resting, the wicked frost-giant - 
Thiassi came along. He had been waiting for Loki. 
He saw that the beautiful goddess was alone and 
that she had her box of golden apples with her. He 
carried her away to Giant Land. 

Thiassi took Idun to his ice palace. The goddess 
did not like to stay there. She cried to go heme. 
Her pretty face was red with crying. 

Thiassi begged Idun to give him some of the 
golden apples to make him look young and hand- 
some. Idun would not give him even one apple. 

Up in Asgard, the gods did not at first miss Idun. 
They thought she had gone off on a visit. After a 
while they saw themselves becoming old and 
wrinkled f or want of the golden apples. Then they 
began to hunt for the goddess. She could not be 
found . 

The Allfather sent for Loki. He asked the mis- 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


83 


chief -maker to tell what he knew about Idun and 
the golden apples. 

Loki saw that he must speak the truth to the All- 
father, so he said : 

“I helped the frost-giant Thiassi to steal Idun and 
her apples.” 

“lyoki,” the Allfather said, “we are tired of your 
mischief! You shall lose your head if you do not 
bring back the goddess and her golden apples by 
to-morrow evening.” 

Loki was sorry now that he had helped the frost- 
giant to steal Idun. He feared that he could not 
get the goddess back. But he thought of a plan. 
He went to Freya, and borrowed her feather coat. 

Loki flew straight to the palace of the frost-giant. 
Thiassi was not at home, but poor Idun was sitting 
in the doorway, crying. Loki saw her and called 
out: 

“I have come to take you home, Idun. We must 
go while Thiassi is away.” 

Before Idun could say a word, Loki had changed 
her into a nut and started to fly back with her to the 
gods. 

Thiassi saw Loki flying through the air. He 
feared that a trick was being played on him. So he 
changed himself into an eagle and flew after Loki. 

Then the race began. Loki flew as fast as he could 
toward Asgard. He was ahead, but the eagle was 
gaining on him. 


84 TALKS KROM THE EAR NORTH 

The gods saw Loki coming and the eagle chasing 
him. They built a hot fire just outside the gates of 
the city near the rainbow bridge. 

Loki flew nearer and passed through the Are 
safely. The eagle flew after him until he came to 
the fire. As soon as the frost-giant was touched by 
the flames and smoke, he fell to the ground, dead. 

Loki changed Idun back from a nut into a goddess 
again. How happy the gods were when they saw 
Idun with her golden apples! They all cried out: 

“Oh, Idun, give us some of the apples quickly! 
See how old and wrinkled we look!” 

Idun gave the gods as many apples as they 
could eat. They were soon as young as ever, but 
they could not forget Loki’s mischief. 


HOW SKADI CHOSE A HUSBAND 

After the frost-giant Thiassi had been dead a few 
days, his daughter, Skadi, began to wonder why he 
did not come home. She feared that something had 
happened to her father, for she had never been left 
alone in the ice palace for so long a time before. So 
she put on her hunting-dress and started out to look 
for her father. 

Skadi wore a short white hunting-skirt, and long 
white fur leggings. She carried a glittering spear 
and a bow from which she shot sharp-pointed 
arrows. She could run like the wind. 


tai,e:s from th^ far north 


85 


The frost-princess soon learned that her father 
had been killed by the gods. She went at once to 
Asgard. The gods saw her comii’g and waited at 
the gate to meet her. 

Skadi was not afraid of the gods'. She spoke to 
the Allfather and said: 

“Great Odin, I have come for my father’s body, 
and to ask payment from you for his loss. ’ ’ 

“We can not give you Thiassi’s body,” Odin said, 
“for he was burned to ashes in the fire outside the 
gates of the Golden City. It was his own fault that 
he was killed. He saw the fire and went into it, 
trying to catch Loki.” 

When Skadi heard that her father had been burned 
in the fire, she began to cry. Great tears rolled 
down her white cheeks. Her voice was choked with 
sobs so that she could not speak. 

. The gods felt sorry to see the frost-princess weep, 
and Odin said: 

“Dry your tears, Skadi. We will try to help you 
because of the loss of your father. We have placed 
Thiassi’s eyes in the sky where you may always see 
them shining. Besides this, you may choose a 
husband from among the gods.” 

At these words, Skadi dried her eyes and looked 
more cheerful. 

“Come to the gate to-morrow morning,” said 
Odin, “and you may take your choice.” 

All that night Skadi kept thinking about the gods. 


86 


tales from the far north 


Which one should she choose? Which one would 
she like best for her husband? 

She had heard of Baldur, the sun-god, and knew 
that he had a beautiful, smiling face. She thought 
that she would /like Baldur better than any of the 
others. • 

The next mc^rning Skadi went to the gates of 
Asgard. Sure /enough, there were the gods, all 
standing in a row along the wall, waiting for one to 
be chosen. But as Skadi came nearer she saw that 
in front of the gods was hung a curtain. Only 
their bare feet could be seen below it. 

Father Odin spoke for the gods. 

“Skadi,” he said, “it would be a hard matter for 
you to choose one from among the gods, if you should 



“I CHOOSE THIS GOD FOR MY HUSBAND 


tales trom the ear north 


87 


see their faces, for they are all young and handsome. 
So they have covered their faces and hands. You 
must choose a husband while seeing only their feet.” 

Skadi agreed to this. She said to herself: 

“Surely the beautiful sun-god, Baldur, must have 
beautiful feet.” 

So she pointed to the feet that were whitest and 
slimmest and most beautiful. 

“I choose this god for my husband,” she said. 

The god with the beautiful feet stepped out. He 
uncovered his face. It was not Baldur, but Niord, 
the wind-god, who could blow the sea into great 
waves and make the ships roll. 

For a moment Skadi was disappointed, but 
when she saw that Niord was tall and handsome 
and had a kind face she forgot about the sun-god. 

Skadi and Niord went off to Giant Land, where for 
many years they lived happily together. 


FREYA’S NECKLACE 

The goddess Freya had a necklace of gold. It had 
been made by the dwarfs and given to the beautiful 
goddess for a present. She wore it at all times 
clasped around her pretty white throat. She did 
not take it off even at night, for fear some harm 
might come to it. 

Loki had often admired Freya ’s golden necklace. 
Each time he saw the goddess the necklace looked 



THE WICKED FELLOW BIT THE GODDESS ON THE CHEEK 





tales From the far north 


89 


brighter to his eyes. He began to wish that he 
might have it for his own. An evil plan came into 
his mind. 

This is what Loki did. He went to Freya’s 
palace at night and tried to get in. But the goddess 
had locked the doors and Loki could not open them. 

So the mischief-maker changed himself into a fly 
and flew through the window of Freya’s bed-room. 
There he saw the beautiful goddess lying asleep on 
her bed. There, too, was the golden necklace, 
fastened about her throat. How it sparkled and 
shone in the moonlight! He must have it. 

He flew to the bed and hovered over the goddess. 
He tried to unfasten the necklace, but he could not, 
for Freya was lying with the clasp under her head. 
So the wicked fellow bit the goddess on the cheek. 
This made her turn over in her sleep, but did not 
waken her. Then Loki took the necklace, and, 
changing himself back to his own form, ran out. 

It was midnight and the gods were asleep in their 
palaces. But there was one god who never slept. 
This was Heimdall, the wonderful watchman on the 
rainbow bridge. He was keeping guard over the 
Golden City. His sharp eyes saw the mischief- 
maker running off with Freya’s necklace. 

Heimdall chased the thief. He caught up with 
Loki and drew his sword out to strike. Just as 
Heimdall did this, Loki changed himself into a 
flame of fire and leaped into the sky. 


90 TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 

Heimdall quickly took the form of a cloud 
and poured down a heavy shower of rain on the fire. 
Seeing the rain coming, Loki changed himself into a 
great polar bear which opened its mouth and drank 
the rain. 

Heimdall was not to be outdone by the mischief- 
maker. He changed himself into a larger polar 
bear, which chased the smaller one. Then Loki 
changed himself into a seal, but Heimdall became 
a larger seal. 

Loki saw now that it was of no use to try to get 
away. The two seals fought together. Heimdall 
was the stronger and soon Loki was begging to be 
let off. The mischief-maker gave up the necklace 
and then ran away. He was glad to get off with 
his life. 

Heimdall started back toward the Golden City to 
return the necklace to Frey a. He was weak and 
faint after the fight. At the gate he met Idun with 
her box of golden apples. The goddess was taking 
her morning walk. 

Heimdall asked Idun to give the necklace to Freya. 
Idun was glad to do this. Before they parted, 
Heimdall ate one of Idun’s golden apples. He felt 
stronger at once. Then he hastened back to his 
place on the rainbow bridge. 

Idun took the necklace to Freya’s palace. There 
she found the beautiful goddess still sleeping. Idun 
awoke Freya and told her how near she had come 


tales from the far north 


91 


to losing the necklace. You may be sure that Freya 
was glad to get her treasure back and that she went 
at once to thank Heimdall for what he had done. 


HUNTING FOR ODUR 

The beautiful goddess Freya was loved by every one 
who knew her. It is said that each of the gods had 
at some time in his life asked Freya to become his 
wife; and many a frost-giant had done likewise. 
But Freya seemed not to care to marry any of them. 

All the gods had given up trying to win Freya 
except Odur, the young god of the surnmer sun. 
Odur set his heart on having Freya for his wife and 
made up his mind to keep asking the goddess until 
she promised to grant his wish. 

Odur was a tall, handsome young god and had 
very pleasing manners. He followed Freya wherever 
she went. He whispered sweet words to her and 
made her pretty speeches. Freya liked to hear 
Odur’s voice and was glad to have him near her. 
At last she promised to become his wife. 

The gods were very much surprised when they 
heard that Freya had married the young god of the 
summer sun and that she had taken him to live with 
her in her fine golden palace; but they were glad to 
know that the beautiful goddess was happy. 

For a time all went well with Freya and her young 
husband, and the two might have lived happily 


92 


tales from the far north 


together all their lives if it had not been for one bad 
habit which Odur had. 

The young god was a rover. He was not content 
to stay very long in any one place. Freya had 
known this when she married him, but she had 
thought that Odur loved her well enough to stay 
always at her side. 

One morning when Freya awoke, she found that 
Odur had gone away. How sad she was to think 
that he would leave her ! Still, she did not lose hope, 
for she said: 

“Odur may not be far away and I shall soon find 
him.” 

Freya went to all the gods and asked whether they 
had seen anything of her dear Odur. Not one of 
them could give her any news of the summer-god. 
They shook their heads sadly as they looked at the 
pale cheeks of the goddess. 

Then Freya said: “I must find Odur and bring 
him back. I do not care to live if he is not near 
me.” 

So she put on her feather jacket and flew over the 
fields and hillsides. As she flew she felt the winds 
become chilly. Looking over the land, she saw 
that the leaves were falling from the trees and that 
the flowers were drooping from the sting of the 
frosty air. 

“Everything is sad,” said Freya, “even as my 
heart is, because Odur has gone away.’ 


talks from thk far north 


93 


The goddess flew on until she was too tired to go 
farther. She could not find Odur, but she said: 

“I will not give up. I must find my dear one, 
even if I spend all the rest of my life hunting for him.” 

When the goddess was rested she returned to her 
palace to make ready for a long journey. She 
brought out her chariot and called to her two white 
cats. She always rode in this chariot drawn by the 
two cats when she went far away from home. 

The cats could run like the wind and never 
become tired. Frey a said farewell to the gods. 
She was not sorry to go away, for she could not be 
happy without Odur. 

The goddess felt very lonely as she rode along. 
The chilly wind blew her golden hair about her face. 
Her heart was sad. She began to weep. The tears 
rolled down her cheeks and were blown away by the 
wind. 

A strange thing happened when Freya’s tears fell 
to the ground. Every tear-drop turned to gold. 

Freya rode to all parts of the world. She cried 
all the time, for she could not find Odur. Many 
golden tears were dropped in strange countries all 
over the earth; and this is how it comes about that 
gold is found in so many places. 

At last Freya reached a land in the far South. 
There, in a green grove, she found Odur sitting under 
a flowering myrtle tree. How glad she was to see 
him again! 


94 


tales erom the far north 



Freya took Odur in her chariot with her, and the 
two cats drew them back to the Golden City. As 
they passed into the northern countries, the ice 
and snow melted, the waterfalls danced over the 
rocks, the birds sang, and green leaves came out 
on the trees. 

Everything became joyful at Odur’s return. 


TAivKS From the; far north 


95 


How glad the gods were to see Frey a and the long- 
lost Odur! Freya was the happiest of all, for Odur 
had promised never to leave her again. 


LOKI AT GEIRROD’S PALACE 

The idle god Loki was one day looking about for 
some new mischief that he might do. His eyes fell 
upon Freya’s feather jacket. The goddess had 
thrown her jacket upon the grass while she went for 
a morning bath in the brook. 

Loki put on the feather jacket and flew off through 
the air. He flew toward Giant Land. Far away 
to the north he saw a palace. Smoke was coming 
out of the chimney. 

Loki flew to the palace. He perched on the top 
of the chimney and tried to look inside and see what 
was going on. He could not see anything. 

Just then the giant Geirrod, who lived in the 
palace, came out. Seeing the large bird, he called 
to one of his servants to catch it. The servant 
climbed to the highest window. Loki, thinking to 
have some fun, flew down quite near the servant. 
With a quick spring the servant caught the bird by 
the leg. Loki could not get free. 

When Geirrod had the bird, he said : 

“Strange, bright-eyed feathered creature, tell me 
your name. The northern fields of ice are not your 
home. From what far country have you come?” 


96 


TALES FROM THE EAR NORTH 


The bird an- 
swered never a 
word. Then the 
giant said: 

“If you will 
not talk, you 
shall not eat.” 

So saying, he 
took the bird 
into the palace 
and locked him 
in a cage. He 
kept Loki in the 
cage for three 
months, without 
food or drink. 

At the end 
of the three 
months, Geirrod 
opened the cage 
and took the 
bird out. 
“Strange bird,” 
he said, “your 
eyes are no 
longer bright. 
Perhaps you will 
talk now. Tell 
me your name.” 



GEIRROD CAME OUT 


TAIvKS FROM THE FAR NORTH 


97 


Poor Loki was so weak and faint from lack of food, 
and so tired of staying in the cage that he told his 
name. 

“I am lyoki, one of the gods from the Golden City,” 
he said. ‘Tray set me free, that I may return to 
Asgard.” 

Geirrod answered: “Loki, you shall not go free 
until you have promised to bring the thunder-gcd 
to visit me. He must come without his hammer 
and belt of strength.” 

Geirrod wished to catch Thor and kill him, for the 
thunder-god’s hammer had brought death to many 
of Geirrod ’s friends. The f rest-giants had long been 
planning to kill Thor if ever they had the chance. 

Loki gave his promise to Geirrod and the giant 
set him free. The mischief-maker flew at once to 
Asgard. 

THOR’S VISIT TO GEIRROD 

Loki knew that it v/ould not be easy to get Thor to 
visit Giant Land without his hammer and belt of 
strength; but the mischief-maker knew also that he 
must keep his promise to the frost -giant, Geirrod. 
He waited until he met the thunder-god out 



“Thor,”L|)ki said, “I have been on a visit to Giant 
Land. I stayed for three months in the palace of 
the giant Geirrod.” 


98 


TAI.ES from the far NORTH 



“What did you 
find to keep you 
in Giant Land so 
long?” asked Thor. 

“Oh, there are 
many strange and 
wonderful things 
in the palace,” 
answered Loki. 
“Geirrod asked 
about you, Thor. 
He would like to 
show you his 
treasures, but he 
is afraid of your 


ON TH^ bank stood THI5 QIANT’S PAUGHTER 


tales from the far north 99 

hammer. Leave your hammer and belt of strength 
at home, and go with me to visit the giant.” 

Thor thought that the palace of the giant must be 
a wonderful place, to keep Loki away for three 
months. The thunder-god wished to see the treas- 
ures, so he went with the mischief-maker. 

The two gods were soon in Giant Land and Loki 
pointed out Geirrod’s palace to Thor. Smoke was 
rising from the chimney. As they came nearer, 
they saw a great river between them and the palace. 

The thunder-god waded at once into the river, 
with Loki following and holding on to him. As they 
waded in, the river seemed to rise. Thor looked 
around. On the bank stood the giant’s daughter, 
pouring a great stream of water into the river. 
Loki thought they would surely be drowned. 

Now, although Thor had left his hammer and belt 
of strength at home, he still had on his iron glove. 
Seizing a great rock in his hand, he threw it at the 
giant’s daughter. The rock did not hit her, but it 
frightened her so that she ran back to her father’s 
palace. Then the water in the river went down 
and the gods reached the other side safely. 

At the palace gate, Geirrod was waiting for them. 
He took them into his great hall. There was only 
one chair in the room, and Thor, being tired from 
wading across the river, sat down to rest. He had 
no sooner sat down than the chair began to rise. 

Higher and higher the chair went, until Thor was 


100 TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 

in danger of bumping his head against the top of the 
hall. Then the thunder-god pushed his staff up 
against the ceiling with all his might. 

Down went the chair, and at the same time a 
snapping sound v/as heard. As Thor looked beneath 
him, he saw the giant’s two daughters lying on the 
floor with broken backs. It was they who had been 
holding the chair up and Thor had broken their 
backs in forcing it down. 

Geirrod now took Thor into the next room. It 
was indeed a strange place. Flames of fire were 
leaping out from the walls on all sides. 

Before Thor had time to look about him, Geirrod 
stepped to the far side of the room. The giant took 
a red-hot bar of iron from his furnace with a pair of 
tongs. He threw the iron bar at Thor, meaning to 
kill him. 

The thunder-god saw the red-hot bar coming. 
He caught it in his iron glove and hurled it back at 
Geirrod. The giant held his shield in front of him; 
but Thor had thrown with such force that the hot 
bar went through the shield, striking the great fellow 
in the heart. The giant was turned to stone. 

Thor set fire to the palace, first taking the stone 
giant out. He placed the giant on the top of the 
hill for a monument, and there his great stone head 
may be seen to this day by all who pass that way. 


TAI,ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


101 


FREY AND THE LIGHT ELVES 

The goddess Frey a had a brother named Frey. 
Frey was the god of sunshine. He was much loved 
by every one because of his sweet temper. He was 
as happy as the day was long. 

When Frey was a little baby, he had a smile like 
sunshine. The Allfather was very fond of the baby. 

“When Frey cuts his first tooth,” Odin said, “he 
shall have a fine gift.” 

In those days everybody brought a gift to a baby 
when the first tooth came. This gift was called the 
tooth-gift. 

The tooth-gift which Odin gave to the baby Frey 
was the whole country of Elfland, where the fairies 
lived. 

“When Frey is grown up,” the Allfather said, “he 
shall be king of the elves and fairies, and shall go to 
live in Elfland.” 

The elves were happy little creatures. They spent 
their time flitting about, unseen, caring for the buds 
and flowers. 

Sometimes the elves came out in the forest at 
night. They danced on the grass in the moonlight, 
taking hold of hands and forming a ring. When 
they were tired, they sat down on toadstools 

Wherever the fairies danced at night, the grass 
grew greener. Any one going through the forest 


102 


TAIvKS FROM THE FAR NORTH 



the next day could tell where the elves had been by 
the rings of green grass. The people said that if a 
man should stand in the center of a fairy ring he 
could see the fairies themselves. 

The elves danced to very sweet music. Their 
music was called the Elfendance. Any one who 
heard the Elfendance was sure to begin dancing. 
He could not stop himself. If he tried to play the 
music he had to keep going over and over the same 
tune until he could play it backward. He could not 
stop playing unless some one cut the strings of his 
instrument. 

When Frey, the god of the sunshine, grew up, he 
went to live in Elfland and became the king of the 


TAI,KS FROM the; FAR NORTH 103 

elves just as Odin had promised he should. How 
happy the sunshine god was among the fairies! 

Sometimes Frey went back to Asgard to visit the 
gods. Odin was always glad when Frey came to 
visit him. He gave the god of sunshine many 
presents. 

One of Odin’s gifts to Frey was the wonderful 
ship Skidbladnir. Another gift was the boar with 
the golden bristles. Frey took the gifts with him 
to Elfland. 

FREY AND THE FROST-GIANT’S DAUGHTER 

Once; when Frey was up in Asgard, he went for a 
walk with Odin. The Allfather was very fond of 
walking about with the king of Elfland at his side. 
This time, after walking a long while, they came to 
Odin’s high throne, from which he could see all over 
the world. 

“Great Allfather,” Frey said to Odin. *T have 
often wished to sit on your high seat and look over 
the earth. Grant me this one wish and I shall be 
happy.” 

“No one but the Allfather has ever sat on the high 
throne,” answered Odin. “Still, since you wish it 
so much, you may sit in the seat and look over the 
world for a short time. Be careful to see only what 
is good for you.” 

Frey climbed up into Odin’s high seat. The whole 


104 


tales from the far north 



HE SAW THE FROST-GIANT'S DAUGHTER WALKING IN THE 
GARDEN OF THE PALACE 


world with its mountains and rivers ana oceans was 
spread out before his eyes. Far away to the north 
the land of the frost-giants could be seen. 

While Frey was looking at Giant Land, his eyes 
rested on the ice palace of a frost-giant. He saw 
the frost-giant’s daughter walking in the garden of 
the palace. 

The maiden’s name was Gerda. She was so 
beautiful that Frey could not take his eyes from her 


TAI,HS FROM THE FAR NORTH 


105 


face. He would have sat on the throne all day 
looking at her, if Odin had not called out that the 
time was up. 

As soon as Frey came down, Odin asked: “What 
did you see, Frey, while you were looking around 
the world?” 

“I saw a beautiful maiden,” Frey said, “walking 
in a garden. I shall never be happy until I have her 
for my wife.” 

The Allfather told Frey to go back to Elfland and 
try to forget the frost-maiden. Frey went home, 
but he did not forget. He could neither sleep nor 
eat, but thought of the beautiful maiden all the 
time. 

Frey made up his mind to ask her to become his 
wife. He did not dare to go into Giant Land him- 
self, but he sent his servant, Skirnir. 

. “Skirnir,” Frey said, “if you can get the frost- 
princess to promise to become my wife, I will give 
you my sword, which hangs ever at my side.” 

The servant took Frey’s picture and a ring and 
some golden apples to Gerda. He told the frost- 
maiden that the sunshine-god wished to have her for 
his wife. 

“I can not become Frey’s wife,” Gerda said, 
“because I am the daughter of a frost-giant and Frey 
is a god.” 

Skirnir showed Gerda the presents Frey had sent 
to her. 


106 TAI,ES F'ROM RAR NORTH 

“I do not care for the presents,” said Gerda. “Nor 
do I care to be Frey’s wife.” 

Then Skirnir said: “Gerda, if you do not become 
Frey’s wife, your father will marry you to an ugly 
old frost-giant. If you say Ves’ to Frey, you will be 
queen of the fairies and live in Elfiand.” 

This made Gerda think better of Frey. She 
changed her mind. She said to the servant: 

“Tell Frey that I will meet him in the wood in 
nine days and become his wife.” 

Skirnir went back to Elfiand with the good news. 
It made Frey’s heart glad to hear that Gerda was 
willing to become his wife. He gave his bright 
sword to Skirnir as he had promised to do. But 
when he heard that he must wait nine days, his face 
fell. 

“How can I wait nine days,” he said, “when one 
day seems like a year without her!” 

The time passed very slowly. It seemed as though 
nine days would never be over. When, at last, they 
were up, Frey went to meet Gerda. 

He took her to Asgard. All the gods came to the 
wedding. Then Frey and Gerda went to their home 
in Elfiand. They lived happily among the fairies 
for many years. 


TAI^KS FROM THF FAR NORtH 


107 


HULDA-AND THE GOLDEN CHIPS 

Odin’s wife, Frigga, was sometimes called by another 
name. In some countries the people called the 
goddess Hulda. 

Hulda cared for the flowers • and grain. As she 
rode over the land in her chariot, the grass grew 
green and the flowers sprang up in her path. The 
trees put forth their leaves and blossoms to greet 
her. 

Hulda brought smiles to the faces of old and 
young, for the spring came with her. How glad 
the people were to see her riding in her chariot 
across the country! 

Once, when Hulda was out in her chariot, one of 
the wheels broke. She looked about for some one 
to help her. Not far away she saw a small shop by 
the roadside. 

As the goddess started toward the shop, the 
workman who owned it, came out. Hulda called 
to him. 

‘'One of the wheels of my chariot is broken/’ she 
said. “Can you mend it for me?” 

“Oh, yes,” answered the workman. “I can mend 
wheels. I will make your chariot wheel all right, 
but you must pay me for it.” 

“You shall be paid as soon as your work is done,” 
said Hulda. She thought it strange that the work- 


108 


TAI.ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


man should speak about his pay before he had done 
his work. 

The goddess watched the workman. He had to 
chip off some of the wood from the wheel. The 
pieces of wood fell to the ground. Soon the work 
was done. 

‘T think the wheel will run all right now,” the 
workman said. ” Where is my pay?” 

“Here is your pay,” answered the goddess, as she 
picked up some of the pieces of wood from the 
ground and handed them to the workman. Then, 
springing into her chariot, she rode off before he 
had time to speak a word. 

The workman did not like his pay. He threw all 
the chips on the ground except two little bits which 
he put in his pocket. 

“I will take these two pieces home,” he said, “to 
show my wife how the goddess paid me.” 

The workman forgot about the chips that night, 
but the next morning he remembered them. Then 
he took the two bits out of his pocket and gave them 
to his wife. 

“See what the goddess Hulda paid me yesterday 
for mending her chariot wheel,” he said. 

“I think that is pretty good pay,” said his wife. 

She gave the chips back to the workman. He 
looked at them and saw that they had turned into 
gold. How sorry he was that he had thrown away 
the other chips! 


TAi,HS From thf far north 109 

His wife, seeing that he still looked unhappy, 
asked : 

“Are you not satisfied with the gold? How much 
pay did you think you should get for a few minutes’ 
work?” 

Then the workman told her that the goddess had 
given him a whole handful of chips from the wheel 
and that he had thrown away all but the two little 
bits which had turned to gold. 

“Where did you throw the other chips?” asked 
his wife. “Perhaps they also have turned to gold.” 

So they went together to the spot where the 
chariot had stood, but, though they looked a long 
time, they found only bits of wood scattered arourd. 
The workman went sadly home again, but he was a 
wiser man. 

VALI, THE YOUNG SUNSHINE-GOD 

VaIvI was the young son of Baldur. He brought 
back the sunshine after the dark winter^ He often 
visited the world of men. 

Whenever Vali rode over the land, the days began 
to grow longer and the nights shorter. People were 
always glad to see Vali, for he made them think of 
the bright summer that was to come. 

Once some people from a small town were standing 
on the sea-shore. They saw a little boat coming 
toward them. As it came nearer they could see a 


110 


tales trom the far north 


shining shield fastened to the mast. The shield was 
as round as the sun and very bright. 

The people wondered what kind of men were on 
the boat. They watched to see. But there were no 



men on the vStrange boat; neither was there any 
rudder. Still the boat kept on its way. 

Nearer and nearer it came, until it stopped near 
the shore where the people stood. Some of them 
waded into the water and pulled the boat close to 
shore. Then they looked in. What was their sur- 
prise to see a beautiful little baby asleep on a sheaf 
of straw! 

When the people saw the child in the strange boat 
they fell on their knees and cried : 


TAI^KS FROM THE FAR NORTH 


111 


“It is Vali, the young sunshine-god! He has 
come to help us. He shall be our king.” 

The baby was taken out of the boat and cared 
for by the women of the town. When he was a little 
older, Vali was set on the shield which had come 
with him in the boat and held up before the people, 
who called out: 

“Long live our king! Hail to King Vali!” 

Then they put a crown on his head. 

Vali grew to be very wise and very strong. He 
helped the people in many ways. They all loved 
their young king. 

But, by and by, the time came when Vali had to 
leave them, for he must visit other lands in other 
parts of the world. He called all the people to the 
shore. Then he placed his jewels and his shield 
in the magic boat and lay down beside them. 
Without hands or rudder, the strange boat moved 
itself away from shore and sailed far out to sea. 

Vali was gone. The people saw their king no 
more, but they did not forget him. They gave the 
name of Vali to the month which in olden days ended 
on February fourteenth of our year. It is said that 
this was the beginning of St. Valentine’s Day. 


112 


tales from the far north 


A WONDERFUL BOUQUET 

Once a poor shepherd was hunting in the mountains. 
He saw a chamois just above him on the mountain- 
side. He tried to catch it, but it was too spry for 
him. 

It climbed higher and higher. The shepherd fol- 
lowed until he was on a part of the mountain where 
he had never been before. 

The chamois now hid in some thick bushes. When 
the shepherd had pushed his way through the bushes, 
he^was surprised to see before him a door in the side 
of the mountain. As he went up to the door, it 
opened, showing a large cave inside. The shepherd 
stepped in. 

The cave was a beautiful place. The floor was 
covered with gold and silver and jewels which 
sparkled in the light that entered through the door. 
At one end of the cave there was a throne of gold. 

On the throne sat Hulda, the goddess of spring. 
Around the throne many maidens danced. They 
were dressed in white and carried garlands of all the 
flowers of the mountain-side. The goddess held in 
her hand a bouquet of tiny blue flowers. 

Hulda spoke to the shepherd. 

“It is not often,” she said, “that any one finds the 
way to my cave. Since you have come so far to 
visit me I will give you a present to take home with 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 113 

you, that you may always remember your visit to 
Hulda. Chose whatever you like best in the cave.’’ 

The shepherd looked around. His eyes fell on 
the gold and silver and sparkling stones, but he did 
not seem to care for them. All his life he had lived 
in the country, among growing things. He had 
learned to know and love every flower as well as 
every creature of the woods and flelds. 

Often on early summer mornings he stopped to 
admire the sparkle of the dew-drops on the grass 
and wild blossoms. To him such things were more 
precious than diamonds and gold and silver. 

As the shepherd cast his eyes about the cave, his 
glance rested on the bouquet of blue flowers which 
the goddess held in her hand. He had never seen 
any flowers like them. They looked so pretty that 
he wished he could have some of them. 

“Kind Hulda,” he said, “I would rather have that 
bunch of little blue flowers which you are holding 
than anything else in the cave.” 

Hulda gave the bunch of blue flowers to the vShep- 
herd, saying: 

“You have chosen well. Take the flowers and 
also this package of seeds.” 

The shepherd thanked the goddess and went home, 
feeling very happy. When he reached his hut, he 
told his wife about the wonderful cave full of gold 
and silver and jewels. He told her how kind the 
goddess had been to him. 


114 


TAIvES FROM THE FAR NORTH 



‘I WOULD RATHER HAVE THAT BUNCH OF LITTLE BLUE FLOWERS’, 


When he showed the bunch of little blue flowers 
to her, she scolded him for choosing them. 

‘‘Why did you not take something that would 
have made us rich?” she said. “Of what use are 
these little flowers?” 

The shepherd told her that he thought the flowers 


TAhHS FROM THB FAR NORTH 115 

a very good present. He said he did not wish for 
anything better. 

In the spring the shepherd planted the seed which 
the goddess had given him. He had enough seed 
to plant a whole field. After a while little plants 
came up. They grew until they were about two 
feet high. Then little blue flowers came out at the 
end of slender green stems. The plant was called 
flax. 

The blue flowers of the flax plant covered the whole 
field. What a pretty sight it was! The shepherd’s 
heart was glad as he looked upon the blossoms. 
But his wife said it was foolish to plant a whole field 
with flowers. 

One night, when the flax plants were all in bloom, 
the goddess came. She showed the shepherd how to 
get the fibers from the stem of the plants. She showed 
the shepherd’s wife how to spin these fibers into 
yarn. Then she taught her how to weave the yarn 
into linen cloth. When all was done, the goddess 
went away. They never saw her again. 

The linen cloth which the shepherd’s wife made 
from the flax was very strong. Nothing like it had 
ever been seen before. People came from far away 
to buy the cloth and the seeds of the flax plant. 

The shepherd’s* wife showed the people how to 
spin the yarn and weave the cloth. They paid her 
well for her trouble. The shepherd and his wife 
soon became rich. 


116 tales from the far north 

The shepherd always kept the bunch of blue 
flowers which Hulda had given him. Long after 
the blossoms were faded, he would look at them and 
remember how kind the goddess had been to him. 

LORELEY 

LorELEY was a water-fairy. She lived under some 
rocks in the river Rhine. There was a cave of pink 
coral in the rocks and this cave was Loreley’s home. 

In the daytime, when the sun was hot, Loreley 
was never seen. She stayed in her cool cave under 
the water. Every evening, after sunset, she came 
up out of the water and sat on a high rock, where 
she could be seen in the moonlight, combing her 
long golden hair. 

Loreley sang sweet songs while she was combing 
her hair. The evening breezes carried her song over 
the water. Whenever a boat passed up or down 
the river at night, the sailors listened to hear Loreley 
sing. 

As soon as they heard the singing, they wished to 
see the water-fairy herself. They steered straight 
for the rocks where Loreley sat in the moonlight. 
No sailor ever came back to tell about Loreley, for 
every boat that steered for the rocks was dashed to 
pieces upon them. 

Once a young fisherman, sitting on the bank of the 
river, heard Loreley singing. He liked her song so 


tales from the far north 


117 


well that he went every night to the same place to 
hear her sing. One night Loreley saw the young 
fisherman and talked to him. 

Loreley told the fisherman the best places in which 
to catch fish. He was careful to throw his line 



just where Loreley told him. He caught more fish in a 
day than the other fishermen could catch in a week. 

One evening this young fisherman went to the 
river to meet Loreley and never came back to his 
friends. Every one said that Loreley had taken 
him down into her pink coral cave to live with her. 



118 TALKS FROM THK FAR NORTH 

After many sailors had been lost on the rocks, the 
people planned to catch the water-fairy. They sent 
a party of soldiers in a boat to get her. 

When the soldiers reached the rock, they saw 
beautiful Loreley with her shining hair blowing 
about in the breeze. They would have taken her 
off the rock, but she threw a magic spell oyer them. 
They could not move. 

LWliile the soldiers were watching Loreley, the 
water in the river began to rise. Higher and higher 
it rose, until it reached the top of the rock where 
Loreley sat. 

Out of the water came a sea-green chariot drawn 
by two large goldfishes. Loreley sprang into the 
chariot and was soon out of sight. Then the water 
in the river went down again. 

The soldiers could move once more. They went 
back to shore to tell the people what had happened. 
Loreley was never seen on the rocks again. It was 
said that she spent all her time in the cave with the 
young fisherman. 

No boats were lost on the rocks after that. The ^ 
sailors did not care to go near them when Loreley 
was not there to sing in the moonlight. 

These rocks may be seen in the river Rhine to this 
day. If you vShould ever visit this river, ask seme 
one to show you the place where Loreley sat and 
sang as she combed her hair in the moonlight. 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


119 


THE GOLDEN CURSE 

One summer Odin and the mischief-maker went 
on a journey together. Their way led them along 
the bank of a river. They had not walked far when 
they came upon an otter. The otter was just about 
to eat a salmon which he had caught in the river. 

Loki picked up a stone and threw it at the otter. 
His aim was sure; his stone struck the otter and 
killed it. Loki put the otter on his shoulder and 
Odin carried the salmon which the otter had caught. 
As they went on their way Loki boasted that he had 
killed two kinds of game with one stone. 

Farther on they came to a little hut. The gods 
were becoming tired, for it was near the end of the 
day. They stopped at the hut and knocked at the 
door. 

An old man came out. His name was Hreidmar. 
He spoke to the travelers, asking them what they 
wanted. The gods said: 

“We should like to sleep in your hut to-night. 
We will give you a good supper if you will let us stay 
with you until morning.” 

The gods then held up the otter and the salmon 
to show what kind of food they had with them. 
When the old man saw the otter, he called to his two 
sons, Fafnir and Regin. They came running to see 
what was the matter. 


120 


TAIvKS I^ROM TH^ FAR NORTH 


“Your brother Otter is dead,” Hreidmar said to 
his sons. “These travelers have killed him.” 

At this, the sons laid hold on the gods and bound 
them with strong ropes. 

When Odin saw that they were to be held as 
prisoners, he offered the cld man money to let them 
go free, but Hreidmar said : 

“My sons and I will not let you off unless you 
bring us enough gold to fill the otter’s skin and 
cover it on the outside as well.” 

Odin promised to get the gold. He sent Loki to 
the dwarf, Andvari, who had much gold in a cave 
far down the river. 

When Loki reached the cave, he found that the 
dwarf had changed himself into a fish and was swim- 
ming in the water near by. Loki went to the river 
and caught the fish in his hand. 

“Let me go!” the fish cried out. “I am the dwarf 
Andvari.” 

“I will not let you go,” Loki answered, “until you 
promise to give me all the gold in your cave.” 

Andvari was so frightened that he promised to give 
Loki as much gold as he wished. 

Loki threw the fish on the ground and Andvari 
changed to his own shape again. They went into 
the cave together. Loki took all the gold from the 
cave. He did not leave one piece for the dwarf. 

Just as Loki was about to go, he saw that the 
dwarf had a gold ring on his finger. 


TALKS FROM THK FAR NORTH 


121 


“Give me the ring also,” he said. 

Andvari did not wish to do this. 

“Let me keep the ring,” he begged. “It is all the 
gold I have left.” 

But Loki replied, “No, I must have the ring.” 

Then Andvari took the ring from his finger and 
threw it at Loki, saying: 

“Take it and the eurse that goes with it! No 
good shall come to the owner of the ring from this 
day forth. Whoever wears it shall have trouble to 
the ends of his days.” 

With these words the dwarf jumped into the river 
and was seen no more. 

Loki took the ring and the gold to Odin, who was 
still lying bound with ropes in front of Hreidmar’s 
hut. Odin was pleased when he saw the geld, for 
he knew they would soon be set free. He put the 
ring on his finger. 

Old Hreidmar and his sons brought out the otter’s 
skin. Odin filled it with gold. Then he spread the 
skin on the ground. There was' just enough gold to 
cover the outside. 

“The skin has now been filled and covered with 
gold,” Odin said to Hreidmar. “We have kept our 
promise. Let us go free, that we may return at 
once to our friends.” 

“Not so. There is still room for more,” said Hreid- 
mar, pointing to a tiny spot that was not covered 
with gold. So Odin had to take the ring from his 


122 TAI.KS FROM THE FAR NORTH 

finger and lay it on the spot which the old man 
pointed out. 

Hreidmar was satisfied with this. He let his 
prisoners go and they returned to their homes. 

Hreidmar and his sons were filled with delight at 
the sight of the gold. But it brought them no good : 
for the old man was killed soon after this by his sons, 
who fought over the gold. One son, Fafnir, was 
changed to a dragon which kept the golden treasure 
hidden in a cave. The second son. Regin, lived in 
a cave, too. In another story you may read abort 
the boy Siegfried, who came to live with Regin and 
who afterward killed the dragon. 

A vSWORD IN AN OAK TREE 

A VERY long time ago, in one of the Northern 
countries, there lived a king whose name was Sig- 
mund. Sigmund was a good king. The people 
liked him. They believed that he was a grandson 
of Odin. 

Many good stories were told about this king. 
When he was a young boy, he was brave and strong 
and showed that he would some day be a great man. 

Sigmund’s father was Volsung, the king of all the 
land. Volsung had many brave warriors who 
helped him in his battles. Sigmund was to become 
a warrior some day, too. 

Volsung lived in a green house in the forest. 


TAi,KS From the far north 


123 


In the middle of the house there grew a large oak 
tree. The roots of the tree went down into the 
ground under the house. 

The trunk of the tree grew through the roof, and 
its spreading branches shaded the whole house. 



People came from all parts of the country to see the 
strange oak tree growing in a house. 

When Sigmund was a child, he often played 
around the oak tree. His little sister played with 
him. Sometimes they had their dinner in the great 
hall where the oak tree grew. 

When Sigmund becarr ' a young man, he wished 


124 tales from the far north 

to go off into other lands and fight. He asked his 
father for a sword. 

“You must wait a while, Sigmund,” his father 
said. “First prove your strength and then you may 
have a sword.” 

The time soon came for Sigmund to show how 
strong he was. His sister had grown to be a tall 
beautiful young woman. She was to be married 
to a rich prince. Her father gave her a great wed- 
ding feast. Everybody in the country around came 
to the wedding. 

When the wedding feast had begun and all were 
having a good time, a stranger rushed into the house. 
He had a gray beard and only one eye. He wore a 
long coat with the hood pulled low over his face. 
His feet were bare. 

In his right hand the stranger held a bright, 
shining sword which flashed in the light as he walked 
across the hall. He went to the middle of the house 
and thrust the sword into the trunk of the oak tree. 
Then he said to the people: 

“He who pulls this sword out of the trunk shall 
get it as a gift from me, and will find that he never 
had a better ^sword in his hand than this one.” 
Before any one had time to answer, the one-eyed 
man was gone. 

The people said the stranger must have been 
Odin. They crowded around the tree to see the 
wonderful sword. The bladr was stuck far into the 


tales from the far north 125 

trunk of the great oak. Each one wished to be 
first to try to get the sword out. 

Volsung, the king, tried first. He pulled with all 
his might at the sword, but he could not get it out. 
Each one of the warriors had his turn. Not one of 
them could pull the sword out of the tree. It seemed 
as though it would remain just where the one-eyed 
stranger had placed it. 

Then Sigmund said, “Father, let me try to pull 
the sword out.” 

“You are only a young boy, vSigmund,” Volsung 
answered. “How can you do what the grown-up 
men can not do?” 

But Sigmund said, “Father, I think I can get the 
sword.” 

Then the warriors cried, “Let the boy try! It 
will do no harm.” 

Sigmund stepped up to the tree. The people 
were watching him. He pulled gently at the sword 
and drew it out as easily as though it had been 
loose. 

Every one praised Sigmund. His father was 
proud of him. The people said that he was sure 
to be a great man. 

How happy Sigmund was to have the wonderful 
sword for his own ! He took good care of it and kept 
it always at his side. Many people wished to buy 
Sigmund’s sword. He was offered three times its 
weight in gold, but he would not part with it. 


126 


TAI.KS FROM the; FAR NORTH 


THE OAK TREE 

Then into the Volsung dwelling a mighty man there strode, 
One-eyed and seeming ancient, yet bright his visage glowed : 
Cloud-blue was the hood upon him, and his kirtle gleaming-grey. 
* * * 

So strode he to the Branstock, nor greeted any lord, 

But forth from his cloudy raiment he drew a gleaming sword. 
And smote it deep in the tree-bole, and the wild hawks overhead 
Laughed ’neath the naked heaven as at last he spake and said : 

“Now let the man among you, whose heart and hand may shift 
To pluck it from the oak-wood, e’en take it for my gift.” 

And slowly down the hall-floor, and outward did he wend; 
And none would cast him a question or follow on his ways, 
For they knew that the gift was Odin’s, a sword for the world 
to praise. 

— William Morris. 


SIEGFRIED IN THE WOOD 

When Volsung died, his son Sigmund became king 
in his place. Sigmund was a brave man and much 
loved by all the people; but he did not live to be 
very old. 

While Sigmund was king, he often made journeys 
to far-off countries. Once, when he was starting 
on one of these journeys, he asked his wife, Sieglinde, 
to go with him. 

‘T should like to go with you,” Sieglinde said, 
“but I will not leave the baby.” 


TAIvKS FROM THK FAR NORTH 


127 


“Well, bring the baby, too,” said Sigmund. The 
baby was a boy. His name was Siegfried. Sieglinde 
wrapped the baby in a shawl and carried him in her 
arms. 


So Sigmund and Sieglinde and the baby Siegfried 



^ HE HELPED SIEGLINDE TO RISE 


bushes there that it was not easy to get through. 
Sigmund went ahead with his sword and made a 
path for his wife. It was slow work. They traveled 
all day. Toward evening they came to an open 
place in the forest. They sat down to rest. 


128 TAI.ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 

They had not been there long when they heard 
sounds of some one coming through the bushes. 
Two men jumped out from among the trees. Then 
more men jumped out. 

The men were robbers. They sprang at Sigmund. 
Sigmund raised his sword. He killed two men, but 
there were so many of the robbers that he could not 
stand against them. The robbers broke his sword 
into picees. Then they dragged him off into the 
buAes and killed him. 

Poor Sieglinde was left alone with the baby. How 
frightened she was! She did not know what to do. 

It had grown quite dark. Sieglinde was afraid 
the robbers might come back and take the baby from 
her. So she started to go back home for help. But 
first she picked up the pieces of Sigmund’s sword 
and wrapped them in the baby’s shawl. 

Sieglinde stumbled along in the darkness. She 
could not find her way. She was lost in the thick 
wood. 

At daylight she came to a cave in the side of a 
hill. She was so weak and tired that she fell to the 
ground. 

The dwarf Regin lived in the cave. He came out 
to see who was passing through the forest. He saw 
the poor woman and the baby lying on the ground. 
He helped Sieglinde to rise and led her into his 
cave. There he showed her a bed of dry grass, 


talks from thk far north 129 

on which he told het to lie down. Then he carried 
her baby to her.- 

Regin saw that the poor woman was very ill. 
He was kind to her and took good care of her; but, 
in spite of all he could do, Sieglinde died. Before 
she died, she told the dwarf who she was and gave 
him the pieces of Sigmund’s sword to keep for 
the baby, Siegfried. 

The baby was now without either father or mother. 
At first the dwarf did not know what to do with 
him. He thought he would get rid of the child. 
He took the baby up in his arms and looked at him. 
Siegfried smiled at Regin. Then the dwarf said : 

“I will keep this child for my own. He looks 
strong and healthy. Perhaps when he grows up 
he may be able to help me. When I am too old to 
work, he can work for me.” 

So Siegfried lived with Regin in the cave in the 
forest. The child played all day long among the 
trees. The birds and squirrels were his playmates. 
At night he lay on a bed of moss in the cave. 

Siegfried grew to be a tall, strong boy. The 
dwarf told him nothing about his father and mother. 
He did not show Siegfried the pieces of his father’s 
sword, which were hidden in the cave. 


130 


TAIvES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


SIEGFRIED MAKES HIS SWORD 

Siegfried lived very happily in the forest with 
the dwarf. Regin spent much of his time at the 
anvil, for he was a smith. He could make wonder- 
ful things and he taught Siegfried to make them too. 

When Regin was not working at the anvil, he 
went hunting. When Siegfried was old enough, he 
went with the dwarf on his hunting-trips. 

Regin would kill wild animals and Siegfried would 
help to drag them to the cave. They used the flesh 
of the animals for food. They roasted the meat 
over a fire. From the skins of the animals Regin ^ 
made clothes for himself and Siegfried. 

When Siegfried was a little older, he learned to 
kill the animals without the dwarf’s help. Then he 
often went hunting alone, while Regin stayed at the 
cave. 

Siegfried was so strong that he could walk up to 
a wild animal and kill it without an arrow. He 
could lift a bear or a wolf and carry it home on his 
back. 

One day, when Siegfried had grown to be almost 
a man, the dwarf said: 

“Siegfried, I think you should have a sword to 
carry with you in the wood.” 

“A sword is just what I have wished for,” replied 
Siegfried, ‘‘but it must be sharp and strong.” 


TAI^KS FROM THE FAR NORTH 131 

The next day, while Siegfried was out hunting, 
Regm made a sword. He worked hard at it and by 
nignt it was ready. 

Toward evening the dwarf heard {Siegfried blow- 
ing his horn, which he carried with him whenever he 
went into the wood. Siegfried blew the horn to let 
Regin know where he was. 

The dwarf ran to meet Siegfried, calling out: 

“Look, Siegfried, here is a sword for you. I made 
it to-day.” 

Siegfried took the blade in his hand. 

“It seems quite strong,” he said. “I will try it.” 

Siegfried was standing beside a big rock. With the 
sword he struck this rock a heavy blow. The sword 
broke into a thousand pieces. 

“You must make a stronger sword for me,” said 
he. “A sword is of no use unless it is strong as well 
as sharp.” 

The next day, while Siegfried was away, the dwarf 
made another sword. When Siegfried came home, 
Regin said : 

“Siegfried, try this sword. It is stronger than the 
first one.” 

So Siegfried tried the second sword. He struck 
it against the rock. The sword broke into pieces at 
the first blow. It was no better than the first one 
had been. 

The third day, while Siegfried was off in the wood. 
Regin brought out the pieces of the sword which 


132 TALKS FROM THE FAR NORTH 

had belonged to Siegfried’s father. He tried to 
fasten the pieces together. 

The dwarf worked hard all day pounding on his 
anvil. He made the woods ring with the noise of 
his hammering, but he could not fasten the pieces 
together. 

At night when Siegfried came home, he found the 
dwarf still working. Regin told Siegfried what he 
had been trying to do. 

“These pieces can be fastened together,” he said, 
“but I am growing old and my hand is no longer 
steady. I have not the patience for the work.” 

Then Siegfried said: “My hand is steady. T 
think I can fasten the pieces together. Let me try.” 

The dwarf gave the pieces of the sword to Sieg- 
fried, saying: 

“To-morrow, Siegfried, I will go into the woods to 
hunt and you may stay here and make yourself a 
sword.” 

The next morning, as soon as. the dwarf had gone, 
Siegfried started to work. He tried a plan which 
he had thought out in the night. He took the pieces 
of the sword, one at a time, and filed them into a 
fine powder. Then he melted the powder in an iron 
pot over a fire. When the powder had melted into 
a solid lump, he let it cool somewhat. Then he 
hammered it out on the anvil. He soon had a 
bright, shining sword with a very sharp e^ge. 

The dwarf came home early. 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


133 


“Siegfried,” he said, “what have you done to-day?” 

“I have made a sword,” said Siegfried. “See 
what a sharp edge it has!” 

Regin looked at it ; then he said : 

“Show me what you can do with your sword. 
Perhaps it is not so strong as it looks.” 

Siegfried took the sword in his hand. He struck 
it with all his might against the rock. A strange 
thing happened. Instead of the sword being broken 
into pieces, the rock was cut in two. 

Then Siegfried struck the sword against the iron 
anvil. The anvil, too, was broken in half. The 
sword was not harmed. 

The dwarf saw^ that Siegfried had a wonderful 
sword. He was sure that the boy would some day 
be a great man. 

Siegfried asked the dwarf where the pieces of the 
sword had come from. 

“Those were pieces of your father’s sword,” Regin 
said. “Your father was a great king. He was 
killed by robbers, who broke his sword into pieces. 
Your mother brought the pieces to me. I have kept 
them for you all these years.” 

When Siegfried heard that his sword was made 
from the pieces of his father’s sword, he said : 

“I will never part with this sword. I will keep it 
always at my side. I will try to be brave like my 
father.” 


134 


TAI^ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


SIEGFRIED KILLS THE DRAGON 

After Siegfried had made his wonderful sword and 
had heard the story about his father and mother^ he 
did not care to live in the cave in the forest any 
longer. One day he said to Regin : 

“I am tired of hunting and killing wild animals, 
Regin. Let me go out into the world and make 
myself useful.” 

The dwarf did not like to lose Siegfried, now that 
the boy was able to help him. 

‘Tf you wish to make yourself useful,” he said, “I 
can tell you of something which no one has ever been 
able to do.” 

“Tell me what it is,” cried Siegfried. “I can do 
it, for I am very strong and you know I am not 
afraid of anything.” 

“In this forest,” the dwarf said, “there is some- 
thing which frightens every one. It is a great, ugly 
dragon. The dragon is larger than the largest 
snake, and has thick scales all over its back. Its 
breath is hot like flames of fire. Its tail lashes from 
side to side as it crawls along. 

“The dragon lives in a cave near the river, in a 
part of the forest in which you have never been. 
Inside the cave the dragon has much gold and silver 
and many beautiful jewels. No one dares to go 
near the place.” 


tai,e:s f^rom The ear north 

“Show me where the cave is,” cried Siegfriea. ^ 
will kill the dragon.” 

So they set out together to find the cave where 
the dragon lived. They walked a long way. 

When they reached the darkest part of the forest, 
the dwarf said to Siegfried: 

“Do you see those tall trees among the thick 
bushes? The dragon’s cave is just beyond, and 
here is the path along which the huge creature 
crawls every evening when he goes down to the 
river for water.” 

Siegfried looked around. He thought of a good 
way to kill the dragon. He first dug a large hole in 
the path. Then ^e covered the hole ^with the 
branches of trees, so the dragon could not see that 
anything was wrong. 

When all was ready, Siegfried called to Regin, 
saying : 

“Come, we will get down into the hole. When 
the dragon reaches us, I will stick my sword through 
the soft part of his body.” But Regin ran off. 

“Oh, no!” he called back to Siegfried. “I will 
wait off here. You may get into the hole if you 
wish.” The dwarf was afraid to be so near the 
dragon. 

Siegfried did not fear anything. He slid down 
into the hole alone. He covered himself with leaves 
and waited for the dragon to come along the path on 
its way to the river for water. 


tai.es from the far north 

i^retty soon Siegfried heard the dragon coming. 
He heard the sound of its scales scraping on the 
rocks and its tail lashing from side to side. He saw 
flames of Are coming out of the dragon’s mouth. 
What if the fire should burn him! 

When the dragon was just over the hole, Siegfried 
pushed the sword up with all his might. The sword 
went straight through the dragon’s heart. Then 
what a roaring and howling and rolling there was! 
It was soon over. All was still. The dragon lay dead. 

Siegfried climbed out of the hole. He went up to 
the dead dragon and pulled the sword out of its 
body. In doing this he got a drop of the dragon’s 
blood upon his finger. It made his finger sting. 

Siegfried put his finger into his mouth, to stop 
the stinging. The moment his tongue touched the 
dragon’s blood, Siegfried found that he could un- 
derstand what the birds were saying as they chirped 
and twittered in the trees above him. He listened 
to them. They were talking to him. 

“Siegfried,” they said, “do not take any of the 
gold out of the dragon’s cave. There are three 
things in there which will be worth more to you than 
gold. There is a helmet for your head. It is 
called the ‘Helmet of Dread.’ It will keep you from 
all danger. The second is a shield which no sword 
can pierce. The third is a magic ring which will 
take you through fire and water without harm. 
Take only these three things.” 



SIEGFRIED PUSHED THE SWORD UP WITH ALL HIS MIGHT 



138 TAI.ES EROM the ear north 

Siegfried did as the birds told him. He went 
into the cave. It was dark and slimy and slippery. 
It was full of gold and silver. 

Siegfried did not take anything but the helmet, 
the shield, and the ring. He put the helmet on his 
head and the ring on his finger. He held the shield 
in front of him. 

When Siegfried came out of the cave. Regin ran 
up to him. The dwarf had a cup in his hand. He 
gave the cup to Siegfried, saying: 

“Drink this, Siegfried. You must be thirsty after 
your hard work.” 

Siegfried took the cup. He held it to his lips. 
Just as he was about to drink, he heard the birds 
speaking to him. 

“Siegfried, do not take a drink,” they said. “There 
is poison in the cup. The dwarf is trying to kill 
you, so that he may have the gold in the cave for 
himself.” 

When Siegfried heard this, he threw the cup to 
the ground. The dwarf saw that he was found out. 
He sprang at Siegfried. There was a long fight. At 
last Siegfried won and Regin lay dead on the 
ground. 

Before Siegfried went off, he pulled the body of 
the dragon across the entrance of the cave. He left 
it there so that no one would dare to go into the cave 
after the gold. Then he started off to give help 
wherever it was needed. 


TAIvES FROM THE FAR NORTH 139 

Bp ARE the Wise One : 

‘Dig a pit in the highway, and a grave in the serpent’s path : 
Live thou therein, O Siegfried, and thine hope from the gloom- 
ing hide. 

And be as dead for the season, and the living light abide ! 

— WiEEiAM Morris: Sigurd the Volsung. 

SIEGFRIED AWAKENS BRUNHIED 

As Siegfried walked through the thick wood, he 
looked around to see what further use he could make 
of his sword. Everything about him was still. 
Not even a wild animal crossed his path. 

Siegfried walked all day. By evening he was very 
tired ; so he lay down to rest on the soft grass under 
a tall tree. He slept soundly all night. 

At daylight he was awakened by the singing of 
the birds in the branches over his head. He could 
understand what they were saying. 

One of the birds spoke to him. It said: 
“Siegfried, if you wish to be of use in the world, 
we can tell you one thing to do. There is some one 
in trouble in this wood. Some one is lying asleep 
on the top of a grassy hill around which a hot fire 
is burning. Nobody has yet been brave enough to 
go through the fire to awaken the sleeper.” 

Siegfried jumped up. 

‘Show me where the hill is,” he said, “I will go 
through the fire and awaken the sleeper,” 


140 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


The bird answered, “Siegfried, you must hunt for 
the hill/^ Then the bird flew away. 

Siegfried set off to And the hill with the Are burn- 



ing around it. He walked a long way. By and by 
he saw smoke ahead of him. 

He ran toward the smoke. There was the hill, 
just as the bird had said, and the Are burning on all 
sides. Siegfried walked around the hill to And a 


tai,e:s from thk far north 


141 


place to get through the fire. The flames and 
smoke encircled the hill. There was no break in 
the circle. 

Siegfried closed his eyes and ran straight through 
the flames and smoke. As soon as he was inside 
the ring of fire, he opened his eyes. He had not been 
harmed by the flames. The fire seemed to die out 
behind him. 

Inside the circle the grass was green. A horse was 
grazing on the hillside. Siegfried climbed to the 
top of the hill. He saw some one lying there asleep. 

The sleeper was dressed in armor and looked like 
a warrior. Siegfried went nearer. Then he saw, 
instead of a warrior, a beautiful sleeping maiden, 
with long golden hair. 

Siegfried cut open the armor with his sword. The 
maiden awoke. Siegfried saw that her eyes were 
blue. He stepped to one side. The maiden first 
knelt on the ground with her eyes toward the rising 
sun. Then she turned and saw Siegfried. 

The maiden told Siegfried that her name was 
Brunhild, and that she had been placed on the hill 
by her father. He had told her not to go to war, 
but she had gone. He had taken this way to punish 
her. 

Brunhild had been sleeping many years on the 
hill-top. She had been waiting for some one brave 
enough to come through the fire and waken her. 

Siegfried was glad that he had found her. He 


142 


tales from the far north 


had never seen any one more beautiful. He gave 
her his ring. 

By and by Siegfried left Brunhild, but he promised 
to come back. 

He found many ways in which to make use of his 
sword. He won in every battle. After a while he 
came back for Brunhild and made her his wife. 

Now he comes to the mound and climbs it, and will see if the 
man be dead; 

Some king of the days forgotten, laid there with crowned head, 
Or the frame of a god, it may be, that in heaven hath changed 
his life. 

So he draweth the helm from the head, and, lo, the brow snow- 
white. 

And the smooth unfurrowed cheeks, and the wise lips breathins: 
light; 

And the face of a woman it is, and the fairest that ever was born, 
Shown forth to the empty heavens and the desert world forlorn. 

— William Morris. 


ASLOG AND THE HARP 

Siegfried and Brunhild had a little daughter 
named Aslog. She had curly golden hair and 
smiling blue eyes. Everybody loved her. 

Aslog lived in a fine palace with her father and 
mother. They had many servants. Among the 
servants was an old man who played on the harp. 
The harp-player’s name was Heimir. 


TAI,KS FROM TH^ FAR NORTH 143 

Old Heimir was very fond of little Aslog. He 
often took her on his knee and told her stories. 
Sometimes he played on the harp for her. Aslog 
liked to hear the old man play on his harp. 

When Aslog was about four years old, her father 
was killed by some robbers. Aslog ’s mother was so 
sad because of the loss of her husband that she died 
soon after Siegfried was killed. Poor little Aslog 
then had neither father nor mother. 

After Aslog ’s father and mother were dead, the 
robbers came to the palace to take whatever they 
could carry away. They would have killed little 
Aslog, too, if it had not been for old Heimir, the harp- 
player. 

Heimir saw that it was not safe for Aslog to stay 
in the palace. So he took the child into the forest. 
He took his harp with him. 

Heimir was afraid the robbers might follow him 
and take little Aslog away. He thought of a way 
to hide the child. His harp was as tall as he. He 
had made the back of it to open like a door. There 
was an empty space within, and there he could carry 
his belongings. 

Heimir opened the door of the harp and placed 
Aslog inside. Aslog was a tiny thing. She could 
sit down inside the harp. 

Then old Heimir locked the door and put the key 
into his pocket. He would not let Aslog come out 
of the harp when any one was near. 





TAivKS From the far north 145 

Soiietimes when they were in the thick woods, 
Heimi' opened the door. Then Aslog jumped out 
and played among the flowers and birds. 

Heir hr tramped from place to place with little 
Aslog m the harp. Whenever they stopped at a 
far*n-house or in a village he would play and sing. 
The people would come out to listen to the harp- 
player. Then Ahog would peep through a crack 
in the harp. She could see the people, but they 
could not see her. 

The people gave Heimir money and food for his 
singing and playing. Heimir saved the best food 
for little Aslog. 

Once when Heimir was playing for the people, he 
sang a sad song. He made up the song as he went 
along. It was about a little girl who had lost her 
father and mother. The song was so sad that Aslog 
began to cry. Then Heimir sang in a louder voice. 
He was afraid that the people would hear Aslog 
crying. 

The singing and crying together made the people 
very sad. They all began to cry. 

“What a wonderful singer Heimir is!” they said. 
“He makes even his harp cry.” 

The people asked Heimir to sing another song, 
but he would not sing again. He took up his harp 
and went into the forest. 

When Heimir reached the thickest part of the 
wood, he took Aslog out of the harp. He told the 


146 tales from the far north 

little girl how frightened he had been when she was 
crying. 

“Aslog,” he said, “you must promise not to cry 
again when strange people are near.” ^ 

Aslog promised to keep quiet. Then Heimir 
lifted her on his lap. He sang to her until her blue 
eyes closed and she was fast asleep. Then he laid 
her on the mossy ground to finish her nap. When 
Aslog awoke, Heimir placed hei m the harp, and they 
went on their way. 

ASLOG IN THE FOREST 

Toward evening Heimir found himself in the mid- 
dle of the forest. He looked about for some place 
to stay for the night. Not far off he saw a peasant’s 
hut. When he knocked at the door, an ugly old 
peasant woman opened it. 

“What are you doing here in the woods?” she 
asked. 

“I am a poor harp-player,” answered Heimir. 
“I have come from a far-off land. I am very tired 
and should like a place to sleep to-night.” 

“You may not stay here. We have only one bed,” 
said the old woman. 

“I will pay you if you will let me sleep under your 
roof to-night,” said Heimir. 

Then the old woman told him that he might sleep 
on some straw in the loft. She showed him the 


TAI^ES I^ROM the: far NORTH 147 

way. Heimir climbed up the ladder that led to the 
loft. He took his harp with him. He was soon 
fast asleep. 

By and by the old woman’s husband came home 
from chopping trees in the forest. The old woman 
told her husband about the harp-player. 

‘T think the harp-player is very rich,” she said. 
“I saw some gold lace through a crack in his harp. 
I believe the harp is filled with gold. Let us kill 
the harp-player and get the gold for ourselves.” 

So they climbed into the loft. There lay Heimir, 
asleep on the straw, and near him a little golden- 
haired girl. How surprised the peasant and his 
wife were to see the child! 

The peasants killed poor old Heimir as he lay 
sleeping. Then they looked inside the harp. But 
they found no gold. 

The man would have killed the little girl, too, but 
his wife stopped him. She had never seen any child 
so pretty as Aslog with her golden hair and her dress 
worked with gold threads. 

“I will keep the child to help me with my work,” 
the old woman said. 

Aslog did not wish to stay with the peasant and 
his wife. She cried for old Heimir, but she never 
saw him again. 

The next morning the old woman put a coarse 
dress on Aslog. She had hidden away everything 
that belonged to the harp-player. 


148 


TAI.ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


“You must never tell any one how you came here,” 
she said to Aslog. “Your name now shall be Kraka. 
You must say that you are my child. The harp- 
player will never return ; and if you do not do as you 
are told, you will be killed.” 

The poor child was made to work very hard. 
She was afraid of the old man and his wife. Some- 
times she cried all night. How unhappy she was! 

Force rules the world still, 

Has ruled it, shall rule it; 

Meekness is weakness, 

Strength is triumphant, 

Over the whole earth 
Still it is Thor’s day! 


ASLOG AND KING RAGNOR 

It was not often that any one came through the 
forest where Kraka lived with the peasants. Who- 
ever passed that way was sure to stop to look at the 
pretty child. Sometimes people would say : 

“How can that beautiful little girl be the child of 
those ugly old creatures?” 

Kraka worked and played in the fresh air every 
day. She had the flowers and the birds and other 
wild creatures for her friends. She grew to be a 
tall, strong girl. 

One day, when Kraka was about seventeen years 
old, a ship sailed up a creek not far from the peas- 


TAI,KS FROM THE FAR NORTH 149 

ants’ hut. It had come into the creek because of a 
storm on the sea. 

The owner of the ship was king Ragnor Ladbrog. 
The king was on board the ship. He had been far 
off on the sea. He was hungry. He wished for 
some fresh bread. 

On the ship there was no oven in which to bake 
the bread. So the king sent his sailors with some 
flour to the peasants’ hut. 

The sailors knocked at the door. The old peasant 
woman opened it. The sailors said: 

“We have come to ask you to bake some bread in 
your oven. Our king is hungry for some fresh 
bread.’’ 

“I have no time to bake bread for your king,’’ said 
the old woman. 

The sailors were turning to go back to the ship, 
when Kraka spoke to them. 

“Give me the flour,’’ she said. “I will make the 
bread for your king.’’ 

The sailors watched Kraka make the bread. How 
beautiful she looked! Her long golden hair shone 
in the sunlight and her blue eyes smiled as she 
worked. 

When the bread was ready, Kraka put it in the 
oven, telling the sailors to watch it. Then she left 
them and went off into the forest. 

When Kraka was gone, the sailors forgot about 
the bread. They could think only of Kraka and her 


150 TAI^KS FROM THE FAR NORTH 

golden hair and blue eyes. They had never seen so 
beautiful a girl before. 

When they at last opened the oven, the bread was 
burned. It had to be thrown away. The sailors 
went back to the ship for more flour. 

The king scolded the sailors for letting the bread 
burn, but they said : 

“O king, we saw the most beautiful girl at the 
hut! Her name is Kraka. We could think of 
nothing else after we had seen her. You would for- 
give us if you could see her.” 

“Bring this girl to the ship,” said the king. “If 
she is as beautiful as you say, I will forgive you.” 

The sailors went back to the hut. They took more 
flour with them. This time Kraka not only made 
the bread, but watched it while it was in the oven. 

When the bread was done, Kraka gave it to the 
sailors. They said it was the finest bread they had 
ever seen. They asked Kraka to help them carry 
it to the ship. Kraka was glad to help the sailors 
carry the bread. She went to the ship in her 
coarse working-dress. 

When Ragnor looked at Kraka, he saw that she 
was indeed beautiful. He told the sailors that he 
would forgive them for letting the bread burn. 

King Ragnor asked Kraka to come on board the 
ship. He talked with her a long time. She told 
him that her real name was Aslog. She told the 
king about her father ard mother. 


TAhHS F'ROM THE FAR NORTH 


151 


After the king had heard her story, he said; 
“Aslog, you shall not go back to live in the forest. 
I will take you away on the ship with me.” 

So Aslcg sailed off on the ship with King Ragnor. 
How glad she was to get away from the old peas- 
ant and his wife! 

When the king came to his own land, he took 
Aslog to his palace. He made her his queen. They 
were very happy together. The people loved the 
queen because she was so kind and good. 


HOW FRITHIOF EARNED HIS SWORD 

The old Norsemen, you remember, were fond of sail- 
ing over the sea to strange lands. Their leaders 
were brave men who had no fear of the stormy 
deep. As you have heard, these leaders were some- 
times called Vikings. 

Each Viking had a ship of his own and many men 
who followed him wherever he chose to lead them. 
Seme Vikings had a number of ships, which were 
always kept close together as they sailed over the 
water. 

These Vikings sailed off to many strange lands. 
They learned much about the people in the lands 
they visited. No matter how far they sailed across 
the sea, they were glad to return to their homes after 
a time. 

One of the bravest of the old Vikings was Sigurd. 


152 


TAIvKS FROM THE FAR NORTH 


Sigurd sailed off every year in his ships with his men. 
The ships sailed to far-off lands. The men followed 
Sigurd wherever he went. They called him their 
chief. They liked him because he was strong and 
brave. 

When they were not sailing over the sea, the men 
lived in Sigurd’s palace. In the palace there was a 
large hall with long tables at each side. The men 
sat at these tables for their meals. Each man had 
his place. 

The chief, Sigurd, sat at a table at one end of the 
hall. The chief’s table was raised up above the 
others. He could see all of the men from his high 
seat. 

Sigurd wore a long blue cloak with a gold border. 
He had eagle feathers in his cap. 

Each man, as he came in to dinner, hung his sword 
and shield on the wall back of his seat. At night 
the men lay down to sleep on the floor of the hall. 

One day after dinner Sigurd said to his men ; “To- 
morrow we shall sail off over the sea. We may be 
gone a long time. Make ready your swords and shields 
and say farew^ell to your wives and your children.” 

The men shouted for joy. They were glad to go. 
They loved the sea. 

In the hall, among the men, sat a boy. His name 
was Frithiof. Sigurd was his uncle. 

Frithiof heard what the chief said about the mor- 
row. He saw how happy the men were to make 


TAIvES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


153 


ready for the ship. Frithiof wished that he might 
go with them. He did not like to be left behind with 
the women and children. 

When the men had become quiet, Frithiof spoke to 
Sigurd, the chief. 

“Uncle,’’ he said, “let me go with you on the ship 
to-morrow. I am strong and not afraid of anything. 
I may be of some use to you.’’ 

“No, Frithiof,” Sigurd said, “I can not let you go 
with us. You are but a boy. I know you are 
strong and brave, but it would not be fair to ask 
grown-up men to fight by the side of a boy.” 

Then some of the men cried out, “Uet the boy go! 
We do not care.” 

But the chief said, “No, Frithiof has not yet carried 
a sword. Perhaps next year when he has proved 
his strength and earned his sword, he may go with 
us.” 

Just then a knock was heard at the door. A 
stranger came in. He looked like a beggar. The 
chief told the men to give the stranger something to 
eat and a place to rest for the night. 

After a while all the men lay down to sleep. The 
lights were put out. The men were tired. The 
chief was tired, too. They slept soundly. 

But the boy Frithiof could not sleep. He was 
still wishing that he might go with the men in the 
morning. He was wondering how he might prove 
his strength and get his sword. 


154 tales erom the ear north 

By and by Frithiof heard a sound. Some one 
was moving. A man was coming down the hall. It 
was the stranger. He had a knife in his hand. 
Frithiof knew that the stranger was a robber. 

Frithiof lay still and watched. The robber looked 
at each man, to make sure that all were asleep. 
When he came to Frithiof, the bey closed his eyes. 

The robber passed on. Frithiof rose up. He 
took the sword of the man who lay nearest to him. 
He crept softly after the robber. 

The robber went to the end of the hall, where 
Sigurd lay asleep. The robber held his knife over 
the chief, and was about to kill him when Frithicf 
ran up behind him. Frithiof thrust the swerd into 
the robber’s back just in time to save his uncle, the 
chief of the Vikings. 

Then Frithiof cried out, “Help! help! Here is a 
robber.” The men jumped up. They seized their 
swords and ran to the end of the hall. There lay 
the robber, dead. Frithiof had saved the chief’s life. 

The men praised the boy. 

“He is the bravest among us,” they said. “Give 
him a sword, Sigurd. He must sail with us on the 
ship to-morrow. ’ ’ 

Then Sigurd, the chief, said; “Frithiof, you have 
done a brave deed to-night. You have earned your 
sword. Make ready to go with us in the morning. 
We shall be proud to have you on the ship with us.” 

The next morning Sigurd gave Frithiof a sword 


TALKS FROM THK FAR NORTH 


155 


and a shield for his own. Frithiof went with the 
men to the ship. He hung his shield on the side of 
the ship just as the men did. 

The ship had thirty-two oars. It had bright- 
colored sails. On one sail was the picture of Odin’s 
eight-legged horse. 

This ship, like most of the old Norse ships, was 
made in the shape of a great fish or sea-dragon, with 
the head at one end and the tail at the other. 

Frithiof liked to sit near the sea-dragon’s head 
and watch the waves. He thought of the strange 
lands that he had heard about from the men and 
hoped that he, too, might some day be able to tell 
wonderful tales of the strange sights he had seen. 
How happy he was when they sailed far away over 
the seal 


THE LONGBEARDS 

Odin, the Allfather, was sometimes called the god 
of war. All good warriors, before a battle, prayed 
to Odin to be on their side and help them in the 
fight. 

At one time two armies were camped on the 
battle-field, ready for a fight. One army belonged 
to a people called the Vandals and the other army 
belonged to the Winders. Both the Vandals and the 
Winders wished to rule over the land ; and as neither 
side would give up anything to the other, they had 


156 TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 

to go to war to settle the matter. The Vandals had 
more men, but the Winders were very brave. 

On the evening before the battle the Vandals 
went to Father Odin and prayed him to give them 
the victory. 

“Your enemies the Winilers are brave men,” the 
war- god said. “It is hard to tell to which army the 
victory belongs. I shall wait until the morrow to 
choose. The men who first come before me in the 
morning shall win in the fight.” 

The Vandals returned to their camp. They felt 
sure they would win, for their men were to march 
to the gates of Odin’s palace at daylight. 

The army of the Winilers did not go to Odin, but 
sent their men to Mother Frigga, the Allfather’s 
wife. The Winilers said to the goddess: 

“Pray ask Odin to give us the victory. We have 
not so many men as the Vandals and we need help. 
It will go hard with our women and children if we 
fail to win.” 

The Winilers had their families with them, and 
when Frigga saw the little children she felt sorry for 
them. She took the side of the Winilers. 

“It is of no use to go to Father Odin to-night,” 
the goddess said. “He has said that he will give the 
victory to the army which first appears before him 
in the morning.” 

Then the Winilers cried out : “Great goddess, help 
us. Without Odin, we can not win the battle.” 


TAI,ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


157 


Then kind Mother 
Frigga thought of a 
plan. 

“Get your women 
together,” she said, 
“and arm them like 
the men with shields 
and swords. Let 
them part their hair 
in the middle and 
draw the ends around 
under their chins to 
look like beards. 
When all are ready, 
come to the palace 
and stand under the 
east window just at 
sunrise.” 

The Winilers did 
as the goddess told 
them. Each woman 
armed herself with a 
sword and a shield, 
and parting her hair 
in the middle, drew 
the ends around 
under her chin, to 
hang down like a 
beard. 



EACH WOMAN ARMED HERSELF 


158 TALHS i^rom the ear north 

The women made queer-looking warriors. When 
they stood with the men on the east side of the 
palace, the army looked like twice as large as before. 

Mother Frigga did not sleep much that night. 
She was thinking of her plan for the Winders. 
Early in the morning the goddess awoke. The All- 
father had not yet opened his eyes. So Frigga 
moved his couch over to the east window, from which 
he liked to watch the sunrise. 

In a short time Odin awoke. He looked out of 
the window. The sun was just rising and there in 
the dim light stood the army of the Winilers. Odin 
laughed when he saw them. 

“Ha, ha, ha!” he said. “What strange long- 
bearded warriors are these?” 

“You have well named them,” said Frigga. “Long- 
beards they are and Longobards let them be called. 
Now give them the victory in the battle.” 

Father Odin remembered his promise. 

“So let it be,” he said. “My help shall go to the 
Longobards.” 

That day the great battle was fought. The long- 
bearded warriors won, for Odin fought with them. 

After the battle, Odin did not forget the people 
whom he had helped. He watched over them and 
blessed them in many ways. 

He brought happiness to their children in later 
years, for he gave them a home in the sunny South 
on the plains of the country we call Lombardy. 


TAI^ES FRCM THE FAR NORTH 


159 


These people kept the name which Odin gave them. 
Ever after they were known as Longobards or Lom- 
bards, which means the same thing. 

THE MAN WHO LIVED FOR THREE 
HUNDRED YEARS 

The three Norns — Urd, Verdandi and Skuld — did 
not spend all their time caring for the great ash tree, 
nor in weaving wonderful webs across the sky. 
These three sisters often took time to visit the land 
of men. They never failed to be present at a house 
where there was a birth or a death. 

Whenever a child was born, the parents and friends 
watched for the Norns to appear. They wished to 
hear what the three sisters had to say about the new 
baby. 

If the sisters were pleased with the child, they 
would foretell a life of happiness; but if they were 
not well treated, they would have nothing good to say. 

Once a prince was born in one of the northern 
countries. Many people came to look at the new 
b-^aby. While they were gathered around the moth- 
e r’s bed, the three Norns came in. 



) The people made room for the sisters at the bed- 
side. They placed chairs for them to sit on. Every 
one waited to hear what the Norns would say for the 
young prince. 

The first sister, IJrd, began to speak. Every one 


160 . tales from the FiiR NORTH 

looked at her. She was a stiangeold woman, for 
she kept turning her head backward. 

“This is my gift to the young prince,’’ she said. 
“He shall become a wise man and shall have great 
riches.” 

This pleased all the people ; and the mother smiled 
to think of the happiness in store for her son. 

The second sister, Verdandi, next came forward. 
She was young and pretty, and looked straight 
ahead. 

“The young prince shall be both handsome and 
brave,” she said. 

At this the people clapped 'their hands and crow' ded 
around the bed to get another look at the t^aby 
prince. 

As they did so, they knocked the third sis^ter, 
Skuld, off her chair. This sister always wore a ^ veil 
over her face. No one could see what she loo^iced 
like, but by her voice the people could tell how she 
felt. ^ 

Skuld showed at once that she was angry at bel. ng 
pushed from her chair. She moved nearer to tht: 
bed and said in a harsh voice: 

“You seem to take little notice of me. I will not 
give anything good to this child. He shall live no 
longer than the burning of the candle at his bedside.” 
At this she turned and walked away. 

The people, hearing these words, began to cry and 
sob, for the candle at the bedside was nearly burned 


TAiyES From the far north 161 

out. The mother pressed the babe to her breast 
and called after Skuld: “Oh, spare my child! Spare 
his life a little longer!” 

Skuld would not return; but Urd, who had prom- 
ised wisdom and riches to the child, sprang to the 
bedside. She did not intend to have her gift to the 
prince spoiled by her angry sister. She seized the 
candle and blew it out. Then she handed it to the 
weeping mother, saying: 

“Keep this piece of candle for the prince. As 
long as it remains unburned he shall live. When he 
is tired of life, he may burn it out. His life will go 
out with the candle.” 

Urd and Verdandi then followed Skuld out of the 
house. The mother kept the piece of candle. She 
would not let any one touch it. The prince was 
named Nornagesta. 

Nornagesta grew to be very handsome. He be- 
came a brave and wise man. After his father died, 
he was made king. He had great riches and fought 
in many wars. 

He kept the piece of candle always with him. 
When he became an old man, he made a harp and 
hid the piece of candle in it. 

By and by all Nornagesta’s friends died, but he 
lived on and on. He was not quite tired of life. It 
is said that he lived to be three hundred years old. 
There was no longer any one living who could re- 
member when he had not been an old man. 


162 


tai^e;s i^rom the far north 


One day a strange 
king, named Olaf , came 
to the land. Olaf made 
Nornagesta his pris- 
oner. He took his harp 
away from him. 

Then Nornagesta 
told King Olaf the 
story of his life. He 
begged for the end of 
the candle, but Olaf 
would not give it to 
the old man. He said : 

“This story about 



THE DEATH OP NORNAGESTA 


tales from the far north 163 

the candle is foolish. There can be no truth in 
such a tale.” 

So he had the bit of candle lighted. Nornagesta, 
seeing this, began to tremble. His white head fell 
over on his chest. Just as the candle burned out 
he fell dead. 

Many people were 'sad to hear of the death of the 
old man, but some said that if he had lived three 
hundred years he had lived long enough. 


HOW THE SEA BECAME SALT 

The god Frey, who was king of the fairies, had a son 
named Frodi. Frodi became king of one of the far 
northern countries. He was well liked by his people. 

Although Frodi lived in the land of men, he had 
many friends among the fairies and dwarfs. The 
dwarfs were very fond of him because he had done 
a great deal for them. 

One day the dwarfs came to Frodi with a present. 
The gift which they brought to him was a magic 
grindstone. The owner of the grindstone had only 
to wish and sing as he turned the stone, and he would 
at once have whatever he wished for. 

Frodi thanked the dwarfs for the present, and 
after they had gone, he thought he would make use 
of the grindstone. He tried to turn the stone, but 
he could not. It was too heavy for him. Then he 
called for some of his men to help him. They tried 


164 


TALKS FROM THE FAR NORTH 


with all their might to turn the grindstone, but they 
could not move it. 

A short time after this, as Frodi and his men were 
tramping over the country, they came to the house 
of a giant who had two daughters named Menia and 
Fenia. The giant was not at home. Frodi saw 
that the young women were large and strong, so he 
and his men took Menia and Fenia prisoners. 

“These strong young women may be able to turn 
my magic grindstone,” Frodi said. 

He took them to his palace and told them to turn 
the grindstone. Menia and Fenia took hold of the 
handle and the grindstone at once began to whirl 
round and round. 

Then Frodi said to the sisters: “Sing a song, 
wishing happiness and gold for King Frodi.” 

Menia and Fenia Mid as they were told. This is 
the song they sang as they turned the wheel : 

“We grind for Frodi 
Wealth and happiness, 

And gold abundant 
On the mill of luck; 

Dance on roses! 

Sleep on down! 

Wake when you please! 

That is well ground.” 

As the song went on the gold began to roll down 
from the grindstone, and Frodi danced for jov. It 
gave him great happiness to see the gold and hear it 


TAI.KS from the far north 165 

jingle upon the floor of the palace. By and by there 
was a great pile of gold, and Frodi’s men were kept 
busy storing it away. 

Toward evening Menia and Fenia became hungry 
and asked for something to eat, but Frodi said: 

“Do not stop to eat. Grind on at the gold.” 

The sisters had to do as they were bid, for they 
were Frodi’s prisoners. 

After a while the sisters became tired and sleepy. 
They asked for a bed for the night, but Frodi had 
become so greedy for gold that he said, “Do not 
stop to sleep. Grind on at the gold.” The sisters 
had to obey. 

At midnight King Frodi himself became sleepy. 
He lay down on a couch to rest, while the gold rolled 
on. Menia and Fenia watched Frodi and waited 
until his eyes were closed in sleep. Then they 
changed the song. This is what they sang as Frodi 
slept : 

“Grind soldiers, tall and brave. Quick! Quick! 
Quick!” 

All at once the jingle of the gold stopped, and 
off from the wheel jumped soldiers with swords and 
shields. 

Menia and Fenia kept on grinding soldiers until 
the whole palace was full of them. Then the sisters 
stopped to rest. 

The soldiers killed King Frodi and all of his men 
who were in the palace. 


166 


tales from the far north 


Then they said: “We will find a new king for the 
land.” 

The soldiers left the palace and went to look for 
a new king. They went down to the sea-shore. 

Beside the shore was a ship that had just come in 
The captain of the ship called to the soldiers and 



told them that his name was Mysingir. The cap- 
tain looked brave, so the soldiers said, “Tet us 
make Mysingir king.” 

As soon as Mysingir became king, he heard about 
the magic grindstone and the two sisters. He began 
at once to plan to make use of the magic wheel. 

“I will place this grindstone on my ship,” he said, 


STALES F'ROM TH^ FAR NORTH 


167 


“and the sisters shall grind salt, which shall be 
carried to all parts of the world. I shall become 
known in all lands.” 

Mysingir did as he had planned. He placed 
Menia and Fenia on the ship with the grindstone. 
Then he and his men set sail. When they were out 
at sea, Mysingir said to the sisters, “Grind salt.” 

Menia and Fenia did as Mysingir asked them to do. 
They ground salt all day. 

By night there was a great pile of salt on the ship. 
Menia and Fenia became tired at last, and asked for 
food and a bed for the night; but Mysingir, too, had 
become greedy and he told the sisters to keep at 
work, grinding salt. 

Seeing that they were to have no rest, Menia and 
Fenia ground salt with all their might. Faster and 
faster the stone went round! Higher and higher 
the salt piled upon the ship 1 The sisters would not 
stop. 

The ship became so heavy with the load of salt 
that it sank into the deep sea, carrying all on board 
down with it. As the ship sank, the grindstone 
still kept whizzing around. The waters were churned 
into a great whirlpool, and all the sea was filled with 
salt. 

Some people in that far-off country say that the 
sisters are still grinding salt in the place where the 
ship sank, and, if you do not believe them, they will 
ihow you the whirlpool called Maelstrom. 


168 


TAIvKS FROM THE FAR NORTH 


FOUR CHARIOTS 

The Norsemen had many strange tales about the 
lights in the sky and how they were kept in place. 
They said that the sky was held up by four strong 
dwarfs. These dwarfs were placed at the four cor- 
ners of the earth. 

The names of the four dwarfs were Nordri, Sudri, 
Austri, and Vestri. It is from these dwarfs that we 
get our names of the four points of the compass — 
north, south, east, and west. 

The lights in heaven were made from sparks of 
fire. The sparks were given to the gods by the 
flame giant, Surtur. The largest giant sparks were 
used for the sun and the moon. The stars were 
made from the small sparks. 

The gods placed the sun in a chariot. The sun- 
chariot was drawn by two strong horses. The horses 
were named Early Waker and Rapid Goer. 

The gods soon found that the sun-chariot was too 
hot for the horses. So they fastened air-bags to 
the animals’ feet, to keep them cool. Then they 
placed a shield in front of the chariot to keep the hot 
rays of the sun from burning the horses. 

The moon was placed in a car drawn by a horse 
called All-swift. All-swift did not need a shield to 
keep the moon’s rays off, for they were mild and 
pleasant. 


TAI^KS FROM THE FAR NORTH 169 , 

When the chariots of the sun and the moon were 
ready, the gods looked about to find drivers for the 
horses. They went to an old giant who had a son 
and a daughter. The daughter’s name was Sol. 
The gods gave the sun-chariot to Sol to drive. The 
son’s name was Mani. Mani was given the moon- 
car to drive. 

Sol and Mani had trouble with the horses at first, 
but they soon learned to keep the chariots in the 
straight path across the heavens. How fine it seemed 
to ride so high above the earth! How close they 
were to the clouds and the stars 1 

Once when Mani was driving the moon car across 
the sky, he saw a little boy and a little girl down on 
the earth. The boy and the girl were carrying a 
pail. They were both crying. 

Mani brought the moon-car down near to the 
earth. Then he called to the boy and the girl. 

“Dear children,’’ he said, “what is the matter? 
Why do you cry?” 

“We are crying,” answered the boy, “because our 
father makes us carry this pail of water all day and 
all night, too.” 

“That is hard work,” said Mani. “I feel sorry 
for you. How would you like to come with me for 
a ride in the moon-car?” 

“Oh, we should be glad, indeed, to go with you,” 
replied the children. 

So Mani took the two children up in the moon- 



SOME PEOPLE CAN still SEE TPIE BOY AND THE GIRL 
UP IN THE MOON 




TALERS I^ROM THE EAR NORTH 171 

car. It was great fun to ride in the chariot with the 
gentle moon. Mani kept the children in the moon- 
car to help him. 

Some people can still see the boy and the girl up 
in the moon carrying the pail of water between them. 
This tale is something like our story of Jack and Jill. 

The sun-chariot and the moon-car were chased at 
all times by two hungry wolves. The wolves tried 
to catch the chariots. Whenever the sun or the moon 
failed to shine, the Norsemen said that the wolves 
had sv/allowed the chariots. 

There were two other chariots that rode across the 
sky, the night-chariot and the day-chariot. The 
night-chariot was driven by Nott. A coal-black 
horse pulled it along. From this horse’s mane dew 
and frost fell down upon the earth. The horse was 
called Frost-mane. 

Nott, the driver of the night-chariot, had a son. 
Her son’s name was Dag. He was very handsome. 
The gods gave Dag the day-chariot to drive. 

A white horse drew the day-chariot. From his 
beautiful mane rays of light shone, cheering the 
whole earth. Dag called his horse Shining-mane. 

Many hearts were made glad when Dag drove 
Shining-mane across the sky. The day-chariot was 
more welcome than Nott’s black horse with the night- 
chariot. 


172 


TAI,ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


BALDUR’S DREAMS 

Baedur, the sun-god, was the favorite child of Odin 
and Frigga. He was best loved of all the gods. 
Baldur had never been known to speak an unkind 
word. 

Whenever Baldur walked through the golden 
streets of Asgard, he had a smile and a pleasant word 
for every one. It made the gods happy to have 
him among them. He seemed to carry the sunshine 
with him. 

As you know, Baldur had a blind brother named 
Hodur. The sun-god was very kind to this brother. 

One day, when the gods looked at Baldur, they 
saw that his face was sad. 

“Baldur,” they said, “why are you sad? We 
have never seen you with a sad face before.” 

“I had some bad dreams last night,” Baldur 
answered. 

Then the gods all cried, “Baldur, tell us your 
dreams.” 

But Baldur could not tell them his dreams. He 
could not remember what his dreams had been 
about. His friends tried to cheer him. They 
hoped that he would feel happier the next day. But 
the next day Baldur still looked sad. 

“Baldur,” the gods said, “have you been having 
bad dreams again?” 


TAi^ES From the far north 173 

“Yes,” Baldur answered, “I had very bad dreams 
last night. What troubles me most is that I can not 
remember my dreams.” 

All day Baldur kept trying to remember what he 
had dreamed in the night. 

The third morning Baldur ’s face was so pale and 
sad that all the other gods were frightened. 

“Baldur,” Mother Frigga said, “what is the 
matter?” 

“Oh, mother!” said Baldur. ‘T dreamed last 
night that I was going to die.” 

Then the faces of all the gods become sad, for they 
had great faith in dreams. They were sure that 
their dear Baldur must die. 

Mother Frigga cried: “I can not bear to have my 
best-loved child die 1 I will go all over the earth and 
ask everything living and dead to promise not to 
kill Baldur.” 

Frigga went first to the forest. She said to the 
trees, “Will you promise not to kill my son Baldur?” 

The trees all said, “We will not harm Baldur, 
for he has been kind to every living thing.” 

Then Frigga asked the river to promise to do no 
harm to her dear son. 

“No harm shall some to Baldur from water,” the 
river said, “for he has never been unkind to any 
creature.” 

Mother Frigga next went to the fire. 

“Our flames and smoke shall do no harm to 


174 


talks from the far north 



“WILL YOU PROMISE NOT TO KILL MY SON BALDUR?" 

Baldur,” said the fire, “for he speaks only kind words 
to every one.” 

Frigga went to the rocks and the stones. They 
gave their promise not to harm Baldur. She went 
to the weeds and the herbs that grew by the wayside. 
All were glad to make the same promise. 

When Mother Frigga came back, she said to the 
gods: 

“Be joyful with me! Baldur shall not die. All 


TAIvKS FROM THE) FAR NORTH 175 

things, living and dead, have promised not to harm 
my son. Fire will not harm him. Water will not 
drown him. Stones and rocks will not hurt him. 
Wood will not touch him. He shall not be poisoned, 
for the weeds and herbs, too, have promised not to 
do him any harm.” 

The gods were glad to think that Baldur was not 
to die. The sun-god smiled and was happy again. 

Every morning Baldur went out to the play- 
ground to take part in the games with the other 
young gods. One day, when the gods had become 
tired of playing, Loki thought of a new game. 

The mischief-maker said: “Since everything has 
promised not to harm Baldur, let us try throwing 
sticks and stones at him. Let us see whether they 
will keep their promise.” 

“That will be a fine game,” cried all the others. 

They placed Baldur in the middle of the play- 
ground. Then they took turns in throwing at him 
sticks and stones and anything else they could find. 
Everything they threw fell to the ground without 
touching him. Nothing would harm him. 

The gods liked the new game .so well that they 
played it every day. The Allfather and Mother 
Frigga used to go to the play-ground to watch the 
game. Baldur seemed to enjoy the fun more than 
any one else. 


176 


TAIvES FROM THF far NORTH 


BALDUR’vS DEATH 

OnK day, when the gods were playing at their game 
of throwing things at Baldur, Loki came along. 
The gods spoke to Loki, but th^y did not ask him to 
play with them, for he was always making trouble. 

Loki was much displeased to be left out of the 
game. He saw that all the gods loved Baldur, but 
would not have anything to do with the mischief- 
maker. 

There came into Loki’s head an evil plan 
which brought great sorrow to the gods. 

He left the play-ground and went off where no one 
could see him. He put a shawl over his head and 
dressed himself to look like a poor old woman. 

Then he went to Mother Frigga’s palace. The 
goddess was sitting inside, spinning golden thread. 
When Frigga saw the old woman, she spoke kindly 
to her and asked her to come in and rest. 

Loki kept the shawl over his head. After a while 
he said in an old woman’s shaking voice: 

“Is it true. Mother Frigga, that everything has 
promised not to harm your son Baldur?” 

“Everything has promised,” replied Frigga, “ex- 
cept the little mistletoe plant which grows on an oak 
tree near the rainbow bridge just outside of Asgard. 
It is so small that I did not ask it to promise.” 

Loki did not wait to hear any more. He said 


TAhnS FROM THE FAR NORTH 177 

good-by to Frigga and hurried to the woods, where 
he pulled off his dress and shawl. He was soon down 
by the rainbow bridge looking for the oak tree on 
which the mistletoe grew. 

His sharp eyes spied the little vine clinging to the 
trunk of the oak tree far above the ground. Loki 
climbed up the tree. He broke off a small piece of 
the mistletoe and wound it around a sharp arrow. 

Then the mischief-maker ran back to Asgard, 
where the gods were still having a good time throw- 
ing things at the sun-god. Seeing that Baldur’s 
blind brother, Hodur, was not playing, Loki went up 
to him and said: 

“Hodur, why do you not join in the game and 
throw something at Baldur?” 

“Oh, I have nothing to throw,” answered Hodur, 
“and besides, I can not see to take aim.’"^ 

“That will not matter,” said Loki. “Come with 
me and I will help you to throw something.” 

Loki gave Hodur the little arrow to throw. He 
held the blind brother’s arm so that the arrow would 
go toward Baldur. Blind Hodur threw the arrow 
and Loki ran off. 

The arrow carrying the bit of mistletoe went 
straight to Baldur’s heart. The beautiful sun-god 
fell to the ground dead. 

There was great sorrow in Asgard. Weeping and 
wailing could be heard all over the city. The golden 
roof of Odin’s palace rang with sobs and cries. 


178 TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 

When the Allfather saw that Baldur was dead, 
he told the gods to get ready for the funeral. It was 
sad work. 

Early the next morning the gods went into the 
forest and cut branches from the trees. They 
dragged the branches to the sea-shore, where 
Baldur’s ship was drawn up on the land. 

They piled the branches on the ship, crossing one 
stick over another. Then the sun-god’s body was 
brought to the ship and laid on top of the branches. 

When everything was ready the gods came to take 
a last look at Baldur. Each god brought a present 
to place on his ship. 

The sun-god had been so dearly loved and had 
had so many friends that there was a great crowd on 
the sea-shore. His ship was covered with jewels, 
golden rings, swords, and many other presents. 

The gods set fire to the pile of branches and 
started to push the ship out into the sea. The ship 
was so heavy with presents that they could not 
move it. They sent for a giant to help them. 

When the ship was out in the sea, the wind blew the 
fire into great flames. The pile of branches burned, 
then Baldur’s body, and in the end the ship itself. 

The gods stood on the shore and watched the ship 
as it drifted farther and farther away, until it looked 
like a small speck of fire on the sea. At last the ship 
sank out of sight. Then the gods went home. Their 
hearts were sad because of the loss of Baldur. 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


179 


BALDER DEAD 

So ON the floor lay Balder dead; and round 
Lay thickly strewn swords, axes, darts, and spears. 
Which all the Gods in sport had idly thrown 
At Balder, whom no weapon pierced or clove ; 

But in his breast stood fixt the fatal bough 
Of mistletoe, which Lok the Accuser gave 
To Hoder, and unwitting Hoder threw — 

’Gainst that alone had Balder’s life no charm. 

And all the Gods and all the Heroes came. 

And stood round Balder on the bloody floor. 

Weeping and wailing; and Valhalla rang 
Up to its golden roof with sobs and cries. 

* * * 

And thus the father of the ages spake : — 

* * * 

. . . “To-morrow, when the morning dawns, 

Bring wood to the seashore to Balder’ s ship. 

And on the deck build high a funeral pile. 

And on the top lay Balder’s corpse, and put 
Fire to the wood, and send him out to sea 
To burn; for that is what the dead desire.” 

— Matthew Arnold. 

But from thy lips, O Balder, night or day, 

Heard no one ever an injurious word. 

— Matthew Arnold. 

Be ye then kind, as Balder, too, was kind. 

— Matthew Arnold. 

In Hoder’s hand the hero’s doom; 

His brother sends him to the tomb. 

— Thomas Gray. 


180 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


THE JOURNEY TO THE SPIRIT WORLD 

The gods were vSad and lonely after Baldur’s death. 
They missed the sun-god’s smiling face. 

The gods went to the Allfather and said: 

“We can not get along without Baldur. Our 
hearts are sad all the day.” 

Odin answered, “I will send a messenger to the 
Spirit World to ask Queen Hela to let Baldur come 
back.” 

Then Odin called Hermod, his messenger, and 
said to him: 

“Take my gray horse, Sleipnir. Ride quickly to 
the Spirit World and ask Queen Hela to let Baldur 
come back.” 

Hermod saddled Sleipnir, the eight-footed horse, 
and jumped on his back. Away they went over 
hills, through valleys, and across roaring streams. 
For nine days and nine nights Hermod rode toward 
the northern fields of ice. 

On the tenth morning he came to the river which 
flows by the Spirit World. He saw the bridge of 
crystal hung by a single hair. There was no other 
way to get across the stream. So Hermod rode over 
the bridge. How it shook as Sleipnir ’s eight feet 
flew along! 

At the farther side of the bridge the guard stopped 
Hermod and asked* 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 181 . 

“Who are you? What is your name? Yesterday 
five troops of dead soldiers passed over this bridge. 
They aid not shake it as much as you alone, and 
you have flesh on your body and color in your cheeks. 

“I have come from Odin with a message for Queen 
Hela,” Hermod answered. “I am riding Odin’s 
horse, Sleipnir.” 

Then the guard let Hermod pass on. 

Far on to the north over fields of ice he rode until 
he came to a high wall. There was no gate in the 
wall. Hermod stopped to see that the straps on 
Sleipnir were tight. Then he made the horse leap 
over the wall. 

Inside the wall there was a thick wood of bare 
trees. Hermod could see the dark spirits of the dead 
people flitting about. He did not stop to speak to 
the spirits, but went straight to Queen Hela. 

The queen of the Spirit World sat on a throne. 
When Hermod saw her, he fell on his knees and said : 

“Queen Hela, I have come from the gods to ask 
how we may get Baldur back. We long to see his 
bright smile and hear his kind words again. He 
does not belong in this dark place. You would 
never miss him.” 

Queen Hela made answer thus: 

“If the gods can prove to me that Baldur is so 
much loved, I will give him back. Let everything, 
living and dead, weep for Baldur. If one thing fails 
to weep, Baldur must stay with me.” 


182 tai.e:s from the; far north 

Hermod thanked Queen Hela. He rode back to 
Asgard. He was in so great haste to tell the good 
news that it took him only two days to return from 
the Spirit World. 

Hermod told the gods what Queen Hela had said. 
When the gods heard how they could get their dear 
Baldur back, they saddled their horses and rode 
over the land to tell every one to weep for Baldur. 
North, south, east, and west they went, asking the 
people to shed tears. 

Every one was willing to shed tears for Baldur. 
How the people had missed his kind words and 
pleasant face ! It brought the tears to their eyes 
to think of his sad death. 

As the gods rode on they could hear the sound of 
weeping behind them. All over the world there 
was a dripping sound of tears falling for Baldur. It 
was just such a sound as is heard at the end of 
winter, when the snow begins to melt and slide down 
from the house-tops. 

After the gods had ridden over the earth, they 
started back. Their hearts were joyful to think 
that Baldur would soon be with them again. They 
said, '‘Perhaps Baldur may be with us tomorrow. 
We must make ready to welcome him.” Then they 
planned games they would play and feasting they 
would have when their loved sun-god should return. 
As they neared the Golden City, they passed a dark 
cave in which an old bent woman was sitting. 


I 


tales trom the ear north 183 

The gods asked the old woman to weep for Baldur, 
but she would not. 

“Let all things weep for Baldur if they will,” 
she said, “but I will never shed one tear.” 


Then the gods saw that the old woman was really 



“I WILL NEVER SHED A TEAR” 


Loki. Thus, because of one person, Baldur was lost 
to Asgard. 

The gods were now even more sorrowful than 
before. They began to plan how to punish Loki, 
the cause of all the trouble. 


184 


TAhHS FROM THF FAR NORTH 


BALDER DEAD 

JOURNEY TO THE DEAD 

And grave replied the solemn queen: 

* * * 

“Come then! if Balder was so dear beloved, 

And this is true, and such a loss is Heaven’s — 

Hear, how to Heaven may Balder be restored. 
vShow me through all the world the signs of grief! 

Fails but one thing to grieve, here Balder stops! 

Let all that lives and moves upon the earth 
Weep him, and all that is without life weep; 

Let Gods, men, brutes, beweep him; plants and stones, 
So shall I know" the lost was dear indeed, 

And bend my heart, and give him back to Heaven.” 

* * * 

And all that lived, and all without life, wept. 

And as in winter, when the frost breaks up. 

At winter’s end, before the spring begins. 

And a warm west-wind blows, and thaw sets in — 

After an hour a dripping sound is heard 
In all the forests, and the soft-strewn snow 
Under the trees is dibbled thick with holes. 

And from the boughs the snowloads shuffle down; 

And, in fields sloping to south, dark plots 
Of grass peep out amid surrounding snow. 

And widen, and the peasant’s heart is glad — 

So through the world was heard a dripping noise 
Of all things weeping to bring Balder back ; 

And there fell joy upon the Gods to hear. 

— Matthew Arnold. 


TAIvHS FROM THE FAR NORTH 


185 


LOKI’S PUNISHMENT 

After Baldur’s death, the Allfather called the gods 
together and said to them: 

“Loki must be punished for his evil ways. We 
will put an end to his mischief. Go, hunt for him 
until you find him.” 

When Loki heard that the gods were looking for 
him, he kept away from the Golden City. He 
thought of a way to hide himself. 

He went up on a very high mountain where no one 
had ever been before. Near the top of the mountain 
he built himself a hut with four doors. The first 
door faced the north, the second the south, the third 
the east, and the fourth the west. He kept the 
four doors open day and night. If anybody came 
to one of the doors, Loki could run out the other way. 

Upon the mountain Loki spent his time making 
queer fishing-nets. With the nets he caught fish in 
the waterfall on the other side of the mountain. 

One day the gods found their way up the mountain 
to Loki’s hut. Loki heard them coming and ran 
off to the waterfall. He changed himself into a 
salmon, jumped into the water, and hid himself 
under a large stone. 

When the gods came to the hut, they said: 

“Now we have the mischief-maker. Here is his 

hut.” 


186 TAI.ES TROM THE FAR NORTH 

They looked inside, but Loki was not there. They 
saw the fish-nets on the floor. 

Then the gods said, “Perhaps Loki has cha- ^ed 
himself into a fish. Let us take one of the nets "and 
look for him in the waterfall on the other side of 
the mountain.” 

The waterfall was not far away. As soon as the 
gods reached it, they held the net across the stream 
of water so that all the fish which came that way 
would be caught. 

Loki was afraid to hide under the stone any 
longer. He tried to pass the net, but he could not 
get through. Then he tried to jump over the net, 
but the gods saw him coming and held the net up 
higher. The salmon was caught. 

When the net was pulled out of the water and 
Loki saw that he could not get away, he changed 
himself back into his old form. He knew that his 
time had come. 

“We have you at last, Loki,” the gods said. “You 
shall never make mischief again. us.” 

They carried the mischief-maker to a dark cave 
in the side of the mountain. They bound him hand 
and foot with an iron chain and fastened him to a rock. 

Above Loki’s head the gods placed an ugly ser- 
pent. The serpent kept dropping poison on the 
body of the evil god night and day. Whenever a 
drop of poison touched Loki, it would sting so that 
he had to cry out with pain. 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 187 

His wife, Sigyn, took pity on him. She stood 
beside him and held a cup over his head to catch the 
poxson before it dropped on his body. 

No matter how tired or sleepy she was, Sigyn 
never left Loki. Only when the cup became full 
she stepped aside to empty it. Then a few drops of 
the poison would drop on Loki’s head. He could 
be heard from far away, howling with pain and try- 
ing to get free. 

THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS AND 
THE LAST GREAT BATTLE 

After Loki had been chained, the gods hoped to 
live in peace; for they knew that the mischief-maker 
could never again trouble them with his tricks. They 
thought of the good old times when all were happy 
together, and wished that the same joyful days 
might come again. 

But this was not to be. The gods could no longer 
be aB ^ __-r contented, even in their golden palaces 
among the trees with the shining red-gold leaves. 
The trouble which Loki had caused had not been 
overcome by his punishment. Baldur, the beauti- 
ful sun-god, was dead. His warming smile would 
never greet the gods again. 

Worse than this, the evil which Loki had begun 
lived on. It took root in the hearts of men. They 
forgot the things that were good and right and just. 


188 TAI.ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 

They became greedy and selfish and unkind. They 
began to quarrel with one another. Brothers 
fought with brothers and fathers with children. 
Ever3rwhere battles were being fought and people 
were warring with one another. 

At the same time many strange things happened. 
There came a long cold season, so cold that no one 
could remember anything like it. Biting winds 
rushed over the land. The air was filled with thick 
clouds of snow. The moon and the stars were hid- 
den. Darkness covered the land. 

This cold season lasted for three years. All over 
the world there was suffering from cold and hunger. 
Even the golden palaces of the gods were bitterly 
cold. 

Then there came a short summer, when the gods 
took heart. 

“The long, cold winter is ended,” they said. “We 
shall never see another like it. All will be well with 
us again.” 

But the great Allfather, Odin, who knew all things 
that had been and that were to come, shook his head 
sadly. As he sat on his high seat and looked off 
over the earth, he said: 

“No, it can never be well with us again. The 
world has been filled with evil. The end of all 
things is near at hand. The next three years will 
be colder than the three that have just passed.” 

These words saddened the gods. They lost all 


TAI,HS FROM THF FAR NORTH 189 

hope, for they knew that it must happen as the 
Allfather had said. Tears filled their eyes. They 
threw themselves on their golden couches. The 
roofs of the golden palaces rang with sobs and cries. 

The Allfather tried to quiet them. 

“My children,” he said, “we must wait patiently 
for the end. Fear not but for the evil in your 
hearts. Prepare yourselves to fight for the right.” 

The next three years were one long, terrible winter. 
The whole land was locked in ice and snow. The 
rivers Were still. The waterfalls were silent. 

Unheard-of things happened at this time. The 
stars left the earth and the moon was swallowed by 
the wolf which had so long been chasing it. The 
earth shook. Mountains crumbled into the sea. 
Then there came a great crash. Everything seemed 
to be falling to pieces. 

Heimdall, the wonderful watchman of the gods, 
felt the rainbow bridge tremble as he rode back and 
forth over it. He held his trumpet to his mouth, 
ready to sound the last call. 

As he did so, he saw far out on the ocean a great 
ship of frost -giants coming toward the Golden City. 
Then he blew a blast on his trumpet that was heard 
all over the world. 

The gods sprang up from their couches. They 
jumped on their horses and galloped across the 
rainbow bridge toward a great field of ice. 

At the same time Loki broke his chains and made 


190 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 



HEIMDALL BLEW A BLAST ON HIS TRUMPET 


haste to meet the gods. Fenris, the wolf, burst the 
magic chain which held him and came howling over 
the land. 

The Midgard serpent, which circled around the 
earth, leaped out of the sea and crawled over the 
ice and snow. Queen Hela came up from the dark 
Spirit World with her fierce dog, Garm. 


TAI^KS FROM THE FAR NORTH 


191 



The great flame-giant, Surtur, came with his sons 
from the fiery under- world. 

Then began the last great battle that the gods 
were ever to fight. It was a battle between the good 




192 tales erom the ear north 

and the evil. The battle-field was on an icy plain, 
called Wigrid. It was one hundred miles square. 
Loki led the wicked ones in the fight. He was 
helped by the serpent, the wolf, the frost-giants, and 
Queen Hela with her dog, Garm. The battle was 
long and bloody. 

Odin fought bravely against the wolf Fenris, but 
in the end the Allfather was swallowed by the fierce 
creature. Thor fought and killed the Midgard 
serpent, but the serpent dropped some poison on 
the thunder-god and Thor died. 

Nearly all the gods were killed in the battle. 
When the fight was over, the flame-giant, Surtur, set 
fire to the Golden City of the gods and to the Spirit 
World. The whole earth was wrapped in the 
flames. The ash-tree was no more. 

The sun grows dark, 

The earth sinks into the sea, 

The bright stars from Heaven vanish; 

Eire rages. 

Heat blazes. 

And high flames play 
’Gainst Heaven itself. 

— Elder Edda: The V ala's Prophecy . 

Then came the great flood. The water covered 
the earth. After many days a new earth rose out 
of the water. 

Vidar, the frost-god, and Hoenir, the god of motion, 
spread life and greenness over the new earth. Of 


TAI,ES FROM THE FAR NORTH 193 

the other gods, only Baldur and his brother Hodur, 
Vali and the two little sons of Thor were saved from 
the battle and fire and flood. 

Besides these gods, one man and one woman were 
saved. They had been put to sleep in a boat by 
wise old Mimir, and had not been awakened until 
the new earth was green and beautiful. 

Baldur the good ruled over the new earth. There 
was no more cold, nor was ice ever seen again. The 
year was one long summer. There was peace and 
happiness and love everywhere, for all the evil had 
been washed away. 

THE WORbD’vS AGE 
Who will say the world is dying? 

Who will say our prime is past? 

Sparks from Heaven, within us lying, 

Flash, and will flash till the last. 

— Charles Kingsley* 

THE NAMES OF THE DAYS OF THE WEEK 

The people in the countries of the Far North did 
not forget their gods. For hundreds of years the 
tales about them were passed from father to son. 

The people honored some of the gods more than 
others. Baldur, the sun-god, was the best loved of 
all because he brought the sunshine and the warm 
summer. The people built many temples in his 


name. 


194 TAIvES FROM THE FAR NORTH 

Baldur is not forgotten in the Far North to this 
day. There is a little white flower which the people 
call Baldur’s eye. The flower grows wild on the 
hillsides and looks something like a daisy. The 
people named the little flower for Baldur because it 
looked so bright and pure. 

Some other pretty flowers are called Frey a ’s hair. 
A number of poisonous weeds are named after Loki. 
One of the highest mountains is called Thor’s hat. 
The sea-sponge, which grows in the deep sea, is called 
Niord’s glove. 

These people named the days of the week after 
their gods. Tuesday was Tyr’s day. Tyr or Tiv, 
as he was sometimes called, was remembered be- 
cause he had lost his hand in the mouth of Fenris the 
wolf. Every good warrior had Tyr’s name on his 
sword, to help him to become brave like the sword- 
god. 

Wednesday was Odin’s or Wodin’s day. The 
father of the gods was sometimes called Wodin in- 
stead of Odin. In all their battles warriors called 
on Odin to help them to win. 

Thursday was Thor’s day. By the name of this 
day the strong thunder-god who frightened the 
frost-giants with his red-hot hammer was given 
honor. 

Friday was named for Frigga, the cloud goddess 
and wife of Odin. Some of the brightest stars in 
the sky were called “Frigga’s Spinning Wheel.” 


talks from thk far north 195 

Saturday was Saeter’s day. Saeter was the god 
of the harvest. He cared for the grain and other 
growing things. 

Sunday took its name from the sun, and Monday 
from the moon. The people liked to see the sun- 
shine. How happy they were when they could feel 
its warm rays! It helped them to forget the cold 
and darkness of the long winter. 

More than a thousand years have passed since 
the people of the North believed in Odin and Thor 
and Baldur, but they still love to tell the stories 
about them. 

We have not forgotten the sturdy old Norsemen 
who were among the bravest of our forefathers. 
We still call the days of the week by the names of 
their gods, and read with pleasure the very old tales 
from the Far North. 



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PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES 

Ket: The symbols used in the respelling for pronunciation 
are those given in Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, as 
follows: — 


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s sharp as in this 
z for s as in is 


-/Egir (a'jer): the sea-god. 

Andvari (and-va're): the dwarf from whom Loki got the 
gold with which to pay Hreidmar. 

Asgard (as'gard): the city of the gods. 

Aslog (a-sli5g'): the daughter of Siegfried. 

Austri (ou'stre): one of the dwarfs who held up the sky. 

Baldur (bal'der): the sun-god. 

Baugi (bou'ge): a giant, the brother of Suttung. 

Brunhild (bro'on'hild): the maiden who was wakened by 
Siegfried. 

Dag (dag): the driver of the day-chariot. 

Dvalin (dva'lin): the dwarf who made Sif’s golden hair. 

Fafnir (faf^ner): one of the sons of Hreidmar. 

Fenia (fen'i-a): one of the giant maidens whom Frodi took 
prisoners. 


197 


198 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


Fenris (fen'ris): Loki’s wolf. 

Frey (fri): the god of summer. 

Frey a (fri'a): the goddess of beauty. 

Frigga (frig'ga): the wife of Odin. 

Frithiof (frit'ydf): a Viking hero. 

Garm (garm) : the dog that guarded the bridge leading into 
the Spirit World. 

Geirrod (gir'rod) : the frost-giant who wished Thor to visit 
him. 

Gerda (ger'da): the frost- princess whom Frey loved. 
Gunlad (go"on'lad) : Suttung’s daughter. 

Heimdall (him'dal) : the guard of the rainbow bridge. 
Heimer (him'er) : the old harp-player who cared for Aslog. 
Hela (hel'a): the Queen of the Spirit World. 

Her mod (her' mod) : the messenger of the gods. 

Hodur (ho'der) : the blind god. 

Hreidmar (hrid'mar) : the dwarf whose son Loki killed. 
Hrungnir (hro"ong'ner) : the largest of the frost-giants. 
Hulda (hul'da): Frigga. 

Hymir (he'mer): the frost-giant who owned the kettle Mile 
Deep. 

Idun (e'do'on) : the guardian of the golden apples. 

Kraka (kra'ka): the name by which the peasants called 
Aslog. 

Loki (lo'ke) : the mischief-maker among the gods. 

Loreley (lo'-re-li) : a water-fairy. 

Magni (mag'ne) : Thor’s little son. 

Mani (man'e) : the driver of the moon-chariot. 

Menia (men'i-a): one of the giant maidens whom Frodi 
took prisoners. 


PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES 


199 


Mid gar d (mid'gard) : the land of men. 

Mimir (me'mer) : the keeper of the well of wisdom. 

Mysingir (me'sing-er): the captain of the ship which was 
sunk by the load of salt. 

Nidrd (nyerd): the wind-god. 

Nor dr i (ndr'dre) : one of the four dwarfs who held up the 
world. 

Nornagesta (norn'a-ges-ta) ; the man who lived three 
hundred years. 

Nor ns (nornz) : the three sisters who tended the great ash 
tree, Urd, Verdandi and Skuld. 

Nott (not) : the driver of the night-chariot. 

Odin (o'din): the Allfather. 

Odur (o'door): the god of the summer sun. 

Ragnor Ladbrog (rag'nor lad'brog): a Viking chief. 

Re gin (ra'gin): a son of Hreidmar. 

Roska (res'ka): the peasant girl who went to Giant Land 
with Thor. 

Saeter (sa'ter): the god of the harvest. 

Siegfried (segTred): the slayer of the dragon Fafnir. 

Sieglinde (seg-lm'da) : the mother of Siegfried. 

Sif (sif ) : Thor’s golden-haired wife. 

Sigmund (sig'moond): the father of Siegfried. 

Sigurd (se'gdbrd): Siegfried. 

Sigyn (se'gen) : Loki’s wife. 

Sindri (siAdre): the dwarf who gave the dwarfs Thor’s 
hammer. 

Skadi (ska'de): Thiassi’s daughter. 

Skidbladnir (skid-blad'ner): the ship given the gods b,> 
Andvari. 

Skirnir (sker'ner): Frey’s servant. 


200 


TALES FROM THE FAR NORTH 


Skuld (sko“old): one of the Noras. 

Sleipnir (slip'ner): Odin’s horse. 

Sol (sol): driver of the sun-chariot. 

Sudri (so“o'dre): one of the dwarfs who held up the world. 
Surtur (soor'ter): one of the flame-giants. 

Suttung (soot'to”ong): the giant who stole the mead from 
the dwarfs. 

Swadilfari (swa'dil-fa're): the horse of the giant who built 
the wall around Asgard. 

Thialfi (te-alfe): the peasant boy who went to Giant Land 
with Thor. 

Thiassi (te-as'se): the frost-giant who carried Ldki off. 
Thor (tor) : the thunder-god. 

Tyr (ter) : the sword-god. 

Urd (oord) : the oldest of the Noras. 

Valhalla (val-hal'la): Odin’s palace. 

Vali (va'le): the sunshine-god, son of Baldur. 

Valkyrs (val'kerz): Odin’s warrior maidens. 

Verdandi (ver-dan'de): one of the Noras. 

Vestri (ves'tre): one of the four dwarfs who held up the 
world. 

Vigrid (vig'rid): the field on which the last great battle 
took place. 

Vikings (vi'kingz): sea-rovers of the Far North. 

Volsung (vol'soong): the father of Sigmund. 







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